An MP for South Pacific albacore is secured, setting the stage for 2026 developments

The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission’s (WCPFC) 2025 annual meeting wrapped last week in Manila with the successful adoption of a management procedure (MP), also known as a harvest strategy, for South Pacific albacore. The MP will manage the western and central Pacific (WCPO) longline and troll fisheries below the 10°S parallel, a huge win after many years of hard work on both the science and management sides. Catches of South Pacific albacore occurring between 10°S and the equator, approximately 12% of recent catches, will be managed under the bigeye tuna MP to be adopted next year (more detail below). While the South Pacific albacore stock is currently in a healthy state, the adopted, precautionary MP is an important step for the WCPFC as it will limit the risk of the stock falling into the danger zone in the future and ensure the long-term profitability of the fisheries targeting the stock. 

Many WCPFC members have been advocating for an MP that maintains economic returns while ensuring stability for the fishery, as they have been concerned by a long-term decrease in fleets’ catch per unit effort (CPUE) that has decreased their economic viability. To address these concerns, the adopted MP will set a total allowable catch (TAC) for three-year management periods and limit the change in TAC between management periods to no more than 10 percent up or 5 percent down. In 2026, the MP will be run for the first time, setting the TAC for 2027-2029. 

Looking forward to 2026, now that the South Pacific albacore MP has been adopted, the WCPFC plans to focus on developing strengthened controls on the water to ensure its implementation, as well as advancing MPs for other tuna species: 

• For South Pacific albacore, an implementing measure needs to be developed for adoption next year. It will need to balance the desires of the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) and other members when allocating catch between island nations’ domestic waters and the high seas. An intersessional meeting to advance this process is on the calendar for May 2026.
• Because South Pacific albacore is a trans-Pacific stock, it is managed jointly by WCPFC and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC). Last week’s meeting formalized that arrangement by creating a joint working group to manage the stock. The newly adopted MP covers only the WCPO, so one of the working group’s first tasks will be to discuss a coordinated approach across the Pacific.
• The development of an MP for bigeye tuna is also on the docket. It will need to address the interactions between the tropical longline and the purse seine fisheries, as just under one-third of overall bigeye harvest comes from the tropical longline fishery set to be managed under the bigeye MP. A greater percentage of bigeye catch (about half) comes from the purse seine industry fishing on FADs (Fish Aggregating Devices), which is managed by the skipjack MP adopted in 2022.
• Lastly, members of both the WCPFC and IATTC will need to prioritize adopting an MP for Pacific bluefin tuna, for which the MSE work has already been completed.

While the South Pacific albacore MP adoption was the major harvest strategy news for WCPFC in 2025, we hope 2026 will mark another pivotal year for sustainable tuna management in the region.