The albacore stock in the North Pacific is in good condition.
In 2023, a full stock assessment was carried out for this tuna. The combined results indicate that it is currently not overfished. There is also no indication that current fishing pressure is changing the stock structure.
The handline fishery here is unlikely to cause significant harm to many ETP species, with a mortality rate of only 5% from discarded bycatch. It is unlikely that this fishery changes the food web or the functioning of the ecosystem, but the impact on baitfish stocks is unknown. Handlines and pole-and-line fishing do not cause harm to benthic habitats. Tuna fishing with handlines and pole-lines produces low greenhouse gas emissions. There is a moderate risk of abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear in handline and pole-line fisheries.
Management follows scientific advice, but as long as not all components of the harvest strategy have been implemented or can be monitored, the harvest strategy cannot yet be considered fully evaluated. Basic regulations are currently in place, but these have only marginal effects on the stock. There are also very few measures in place to reduce the extent and impact of abandoned and lost fishing gear on the ecosystem.