2020 Commercial Bigeye, Albacore, Skipjack, and Yellowfin Tuna Landings

Catch statistics from previous months are available below or by contacting the Highly Migratory Species Management Division.

New England/Mid-Atlantic

Southeast

Below are the 2020 preliminary landings estimates for the Atlantic bigeye, northern albacore, yellowfin, and skipjack tunas commercial fisheries.

These estimates are subject to late reporting and do not include discards. Totals are reported in metric tons (mt) and pounds (lb) whole weight (ww)—1 mt is equal to 2,204.6 pounds.

January 1 to December 31

Posted February 1, 2021

Species	2020 Quota (ww)	Estimated Landings in 2020 (ww) ^†	Percent of 2020 Quota	2019 Landings through the Same Time Period (ww)
Bigeye	---	473.6 mt (1,044,037 lb)	NA	571.3 mt (1,259,387 lb)
Northern Albacore *	790.5 mt (1,742,736 lb)	279.7 mt (616,639 lb)	35 %	192.4 mt (424,125 lb)
Yellowfin	---	767.3 mt (1,691,618 lb)	NA	889.9 mt (1,961,966 lb)
Skipjack	---	2.1 mt (4,624 lb)	NA	6.7 mt (14,957 lb)

*On October 1, 2020 (85 FR 61872), NOAA Fisheries adjusted the 2020 annual northern albacore quota from 632.4 mt to 790.5 mt to include the 158.1 mt of underharvest the United States could carry forward from 2019.

†Due to delays in availability, landings estimates for the Caribbean may not include all data through the current date.

January 1 to November 30

Posted December 21, 2020

Species	2020 Quota (ww)	Estimated Landings in 2020 (ww) ^†	Percent of 2020 Quota	2019 Landings through the Same Time Period (ww)
Bigeye	---	400.2 mt (882,233 lb)	NA	538.5 mt (1,187,257 lb)
Northern Albacore *	790.5 mt (1,742,736 lb)	257.1 mt (566,761 lb)	29 %	171.8 mt (378,771 lb)
Yellowfin	---	673.2 mt (1,484,120 lb)	NA	841.1 mt (1,854,316 lb)
Skipjack	---	2.0 mt (4,518 lb)	NA	6.7 mt (14,710 lb)

*On October 1, 2020 (85 FR 61872), NOAA Fisheries adjusted the 2020 annual northern albacore quota from 632.4 mt to 790.5 mt to include the 158.1 mt of underharvest the United States could carry forward from 2019.

†Due to delays in availability, landings estimates for the Caribbean may not include all data through the current date.

January 1 to October 31

Posted November 23, 2020

Species	2020 Quota (ww)	Estimated Landings in 2020 (ww) ^†	Percent of 2020 Quota	2019 Landings through the Same Time Period (ww)
Bigeye	---	316.5 mt (697,705 lb)	NA	445.0 mt (981,129 lb)
Northern Albacore *	790.5 mt (1,742,736 lb)	225.5 mt (497,100 lb)	24 %	137.0 mt (302,067 lb)
Yellowfin	---	592.7 mt (1,306,653 lb)	NA	783.5 mt (1,479,612 lb)
Skipjack	---	2.0 mt (4,458 lb)	NA	6.6 mt (14,451 lb)

*On October 1, 2020 (85 FR 61872), NOAA Fisheries adjusted the 2020 annual northern albacore quota from 632.4 mt to 790.5 mt to include the 158.1 mt of underharvest the United States could carry forward from 2019.

†Due to delays in availability, landings estimates for the Caribbean may not include all data through the current date.

January 1 to September 30

Posted November 2, 2020

Species	2020 Quota (ww)	Estimated Landings in 2020 (ww) ^†	Percent of 2020 Quota	2019 Landings through the Same Time Period (ww)
Bigeye	---	206.1 mt (454,274 lb)	NA	340.0 mt (474,158 lb)
Northern Albacore *	790.5 mt (1,742,736 lb)	192.4 mt (424,026 lb)	24 %	107.7 mt (237,473 lb)
Yellowfin	---	527.6 mt (1,163,065 lb)	NA	671.1 mt (1,479,612 lb)
Skipjack	---	1.9 mt (4,304 lb)	NA	6.4 mt (14,137 lb)

*On October 1, 2020 (85 FR 61872), NOAA Fisheries adjusted the 2020 annual northern albacore quota from 632.4 mt to 790.5 mt to include the 158.1 mt of underharvest the United States could carry forward from 2019.

†Due to delays in availability, landings estimates for the Caribbean may not include all data through the current date.

January 1 to August 31

Posted October 7, 2020

Species	2020 Quota (ww)	Estimated Landings in 2020 (ww) ^†	Percent of 2020 Quota	2019 Landings through the Same Time Period (ww)
Bigeye	---	141.2 mt (311,157 lb)	NA	215.1 mt (474,158 lb)
Northern Albacore *	790.5 mt (1,742,736 lb)	152.9 mt (337,157 lb)	19 %	82.0 mt (180,857 lb)
Yellowfin	---	430.7 mt (949,596 lb)	NA	552.8 mt (1,218,793 lb)
Skipjack	---	1.9 mt (4,143 lb)	NA	6.1 mt (13,422 lb)

*On October 1, 2020 (85 FR 61872), NOAA Fisheries adjusted the 2020 annual northern albacore quota from 632.4 mt to 790.5 mt to include the 158.1 mt of underharvest the United States could carry forward from 2019.

†Due to delays in availability, landings estimates for the Caribbean may not include all data through the current date.

January 1 to July 31

Posted August 26, 2020

Species	2020 Quota (ww)	Estimated Landings in 2020 (ww) ^†	Percent of 2020 Quota	2019 Landings through the Same Time Period (ww)
Bigeye	---	103.8 mt (228,722 lb)	NA	117.6 mt (259,241 lb)
Northern Albacore *	632.4 mt (1,394,189 lb)	131.4 mt (289,584 lb)	21%	79.4 mt (175,103 lb)
Yellowfin	---	340.2 mt (750,060 lb)	NA	387.1 mt (853,304 lb)
Skipjack	---	1.8 mt (3,939 lb)	NA	6.0 mt (13,308 lb)

*NOAA Fisheries will be updating the 2020 annual northern albacore quota to account for underharvest of the 2019 adjusted U.S. northern albacore quota, within International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas limits. This will likely take effect this summer.

†Due to delays in availability, landings estimates for the Caribbean may not include all data through the current date.

January 1 to June 30

Posted July 15

Species	2020 Quota (ww)	Estimated Landings in 2020 (ww) ^†	Percent of 2020 Quota	2019 Landings through the Same Time Period (ww)
Bigeye	---	64.5 mt (142,093 lb)	NA	68.7 mt (151,536 lb)
Northern Albacore *	632.4 mt (1,394,189 lb)	113.1 mt (249,397 lb)	18%	71.9 mt (158,526 lb)
Yellowfin	---	230.4 mt (507,909 lb)	NA	235.7 mt (519,650 lb)
Skipjack	---	1.1 mt (2,475 lb)	NA	4.7 mt (10,333 lb)

*NOAA Fisheries will be updating the 2020 annual northern albacore quota to account for underharvest of the 2019 adjusted U.S. northern albacore quota, within International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas limits. This will likely take effect this summer.

†Due to delays in availability, landings estimates for the Caribbean may not include all data through the current date.

January 1 to May 31

Posted June 29

Species	2020 Quota (ww)	Estimated Landings in 2020 (ww) ^†	Percent of 2020 Quota	2019 Landings Through the Same Time Period (ww)
Bigeye	---	49.4 mt (108,805 lb)	NA	55.5 mt (122,437 lb)
Northern albacore*	632.4 mt (1,394,189 lb)	102.5 mt (226,011 lb)	16%	61.2 mt (134,893 lb)
Yellowfin	---	152.6 mt (336,367 lb)	NA	185.4 mt (408,781 lb)
Skipjack	---	1.1 mt (2,475 lb)	NA	4.7 mt (10,333 lb)

*NOAA Fisheries will be updating the 2020 annual northern albacore quota to account for underharvest of the 2019 adjusted U.S. northern albacore quota, within International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas limits. This will likely take effect this summer.

†Due to delays in availability, landings estimates for the Caribbean may not include all data through the current date.

January 1 to April 30

Posted June 1

Species	2020 Quota (ww)	Estimated Landings in 2020 (ww)^†	Percent of 2020 Quota	2019 Landings Through the Same Time Period (ww)
Bigeye	---	44.2 mt (97,498 lb)	NA	44.5 mt (98,067 lb)
Northern albacore*	632.4 mt (1,394,189 lb)	101.7 mt (224,139 lb)	16%	57.9 mt (127,598 lb)
Yellowfin	---	111.2 mt (245,183 lb)	NA	153.7 mt (338,761 lb)
Skipjack	---	0.9 mt (2,029 lb)	NA	3.2 mt (7,046 lb)

*NOAA Fisheries will be updating the 2020 annual northern albacore quota to account for underharvest of the 2019 adjusted U.S. northern albacore quota, within International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas limits. This will likely take effect this summer.

†Due to delays in availability, landings estimates for the Caribbean may not include all data through the current date.

January 1 to March 31

Posted April 24

Species	2020 Quota (ww)	Estimated Landings in 2020 (ww)^†	Percent of 2020 Quota	2019 Landings Through the Same Time Period (ww)
Bigeye	---	41.3 mt (91,018 lb)	NA	33.1 mt (72,956 lb)
Northern albacore*	632.4 mt (1,394,189 lb)	98.3 mt (216,604 lb)	16%	37.0 mt (81,546 lb)
Yellowfin	---	100.3 mt (221,163 lb)	NA	132.0 mt (291,109 lb)
Skipjack	---	0.6 mt (1,307 lb)	NA	2.3 mt (5,131 lb)

*NOAA Fisheries will be updating the 2020 annual northern albacore quota to account for underharvest of the 2019 adjusted U.S. northern albacore quota, within International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas limits. This will likely take effect this summer.

†Due to delays in availability, landings estimates for the Caribbean may not include all data through the current date.

January 1 to February 29

Posted April 6

Species	2020 Quota (ww)	Estimated Landings in 2020 (ww)^†	Percent of 2020 Quota	2019 Landings Through Same Time Period (ww)
Bigeye	---	33.6 mt (73,988 lb)	NA	23.5 mt (51,824 lb)
Northern albacore*	632.4 mt (1,394,189 lb)	60.3 mt (132,935 lb)	10%	21.6 mt (47,530 lb)
Yellowfin	---	76.5 mt (168,602 lb)	NA	106.7 mt (235,257 lb)
Skipjack	---	0.2 mt (379 lb)	NA	1.4 mt (3,185 lb)

*NOAA Fisheries will be updating the 2020 annual northern albacore quota to account for underharvest of the 2019 adjusted U.S. northern albacore quota, within International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas limits. This will likely take effect this summer.

†Due to delays in availability, landings estimates for the Caribbean may not include all data through the current date.

January 1 to January 31

Posted February 24

Species	2020 Quota (ww)	Estimated Landings in 2020 (ww)^†	Percent of 2020 Quota	2019 Landings Through Same Time Period (ww)
Bigeye	---	19.9 mt (43,783 lb)	NA	14.6 mt (32,223 lb)
Northern albacore	632.4 mt (1,394,189 lb)	22.6 mt (49,752 lb)	4%	10.0 mt (22,061 lb)
Yellowfin	---	48.9 mt (107,865 lb)	NA	68.9 mt (151,823 lb)
Skipjack*	---	<1 mt (<2,205 lb)	NA	<1 mt (<2,205 lb)

*Landings are not provided at this time to continue ensuring participant confidentiality.

^†Due to delays in availability, landings estimates for the Caribbean may not include all data through the current date.

Last updated by Office of Sustainable Fisheries on 12/13/2021

More On This Topic

Calvin Alexander in yellow and orange gear holding large monkfish.

Study Fleet scientist Calvin Alexander holding a monkfish.

Podcast

Why You Should Try Monkfish

New England/Mid-Atlantic

An oceanic whitetip shark swims in the middle of the ocean.

An oceanic whitetip shark swims near the surface of the water. Photo courtesy of John Carlson.

Podcast

Oceanic Whitetip Sharks: A Plan for Recovery

New England/Mid-Atlantic

Pacific Islands

Southeast

West Coast

National

International

Dozens of white, brown, and pink-colored sea scallops photographed on a black ocean floor.

Dense beds of small Atlantic sea scallops photographed on the ocean floor in the Mid-Atlantic in 2015. Credit: NOAA Fisheries.

Podcast

What Fish Stock Rebuilding Means to Communities

New England/Mid-Atlantic

West Coast

National

Two blacktip sharks swimming

Blacktip sharks. Credit: iStock.

Podcast

Atlantic Sharks: 30 Years of Successes and Lessons

New England/Mid-Atlantic

Southeast