Western Pacific Purse Seine Fishery (SPTT)
Project (PRJ) | Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC)GUID: gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:70637 | Updated: December 3, 2025 | Published / External
-
View As
- Full List View
- EXPORTS
- InPort XML
- View in Hierarchy
Summary
Since 1988, U.S. purse seine vessels have had access to fish in waters of some foreign Pacific Island countries under the South Pacific Tuna Treaty (SPTT). This fleet primarily targets skipjack and yellowfin tuna, but also incidentally catches bigeye tuna. In the Western Central Pacific Ocean, the fleet primarily lands its catch in Pago Pago, American Samoa, though historically the fleet has also offloaded in other Pacific Islands ports.
Historically, the purse-seine fishery began in the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) in the 1950s. Most of the purse seine tuna catch came from the EPO until 1993 when many vessels moved to fish in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean in response to dolphin conservation measures in the EPO and to fishing access granted to the U.S.A by the South Pacific Tuna Treaty (SPTT) in 1987.
Monitoring
Project Information
Project Type
Collection
Mandated By
South Pacific Tuna Treaty
Collection Type
Logbook
Collection Method
Electronic, Paper
Child Items
| Type | Title |
|---|---|
| Data Set | U.S. Western Pacific Purse Seine |
Contact Information
Point of Contact
Jenny M Suter
jenny.suter@noaa.gov
Metadata Contact
Jenny M Suter
jenny.suter@noaa.gov
Extents
130° W,
-150° E,
10° N,
-10° S
Western Central Pacific Ocean
1988 - Present
Item Identification
| Title: | Western Pacific Purse Seine Fishery (SPTT) |
|---|---|
| Abstract: |
Since 1988, U.S. purse seine vessels have had access to fish in waters of some foreign Pacific Island countries under the South Pacific Tuna Treaty (SPTT). This fleet primarily targets skipjack and yellowfin tuna, but also incidentally catches bigeye tuna. In the Western Central Pacific Ocean, the fleet primarily lands its catch in Pago Pago, American Samoa, though historically the fleet has also offloaded in other Pacific Islands ports. Historically, the purse-seine fishery began in the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) in the 1950s. Most of the purse seine tuna catch came from the EPO until 1993 when many vessels moved to fish in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean in response to dolphin conservation measures in the EPO and to fishing access granted to the U.S.A by the South Pacific Tuna Treaty (SPTT) in 1987. |
| Purpose: |
Monitoring |
Keywords
Theme Keywords
| Thesaurus | Keyword |
|---|---|
| UNCONTROLLED | |
| None | FMP |
| None | FRMD |
| None | PIFSC |
| None | purse seine |
| None | skipjack |
| None | yellowfin tuna |
Physical Location
| Organization: | Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center |
|---|---|
| City: | Honolulu |
| State/Province: | HI |
| Country: | USA |
Project Information
| Project Type: | Collection |
|---|---|
| Is Mandated?: | Yes |
| Mandated By: | South Pacific Tuna Treaty |
| Collection Type: | Logbook |
| Collection Authority: | Federal |
| Collection Method: | Electronic, Paper |
Support Roles
Data Steward
| Date Effective From: | 2023-09-22 |
|---|---|
| Date Effective To: | |
| Contact (Person): | Suter, Jenny M |
| Address: |
1845 Wasp Blvd Honolulu, HI 96818 USA |
| Email Address: | jenny.suter@noaa.gov |
| Contact Instructions: |
Contact via email |
Distributor
| Date Effective From: | 2016 |
|---|---|
| Date Effective To: | |
| Contact (Organization): | Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) |
| Address: |
1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu, HI 96818 USA |
| ROR: | https://ror.org/02apffz65 |
| Email Address: | pifsc.info@noaa.gov |
| Phone: | 808-725-5360 |
| URL: | https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov |
| Business Hours: | 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. |
Metadata Contact
| Date Effective From: | 2023-09-22 |
|---|---|
| Date Effective To: | |
| Contact (Person): | Suter, Jenny M |
| Address: |
1845 Wasp Blvd Honolulu, HI 96818 USA |
| Email Address: | jenny.suter@noaa.gov |
| Contact Instructions: |
Contact via email |
Point of Contact
| Date Effective From: | 2023-09-22 |
|---|---|
| Date Effective To: | |
| Contact (Person): | Suter, Jenny M |
| Address: |
1845 Wasp Blvd Honolulu, HI 96818 USA |
| Email Address: | jenny.suter@noaa.gov |
| Contact Instructions: |
Contact via email |
Extents
| Currentness Reference: | Ground Condition |
|---|
Extent Group 1
Extent Group 1 / Geographic Area 1
| W° Bound: | 130 | |
|---|---|---|
| E° Bound: | -150 | |
| N° Bound: | 10 | |
| S° Bound: | -10 | |
| Description |
Western Central Pacific Ocean |
|
Extent Group 1 / Time Frame 1
| Time Frame Type: | Continuing |
|---|---|
| Start: | 1988 |
Access Information
| Security Class: | Sensitive |
|---|
URLs
URL 1
| URL: | https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/pacific-islands/international-affairs/south-pacific-tuna-treaty |
|---|---|
| Name: | South Pacific Tuna Treaty |
| URL Type: |
Online Resource
|
URL 2
| URL: | https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/bycatch/fishing-gear-purse-seines |
|---|---|
| Name: | Fishing Gear: Purse Seines |
| URL Type: |
Online Resource
|
Child Items
Rubric scores updated every 15m
|
Type | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Data Set | U.S. Western Pacific Purse Seine |
Catalog Details
| Catalog Item ID: | 70637 |
|---|---|
| GUID: | gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:70637 |
| Metadata Record Created By: | Brent M Miyamoto |
| Metadata Record Created: | 2023-08-25 01:34+0000 |
| Metadata Record Last Modified By: | SysAdmin InPortAdmin |
| Metadata Record Last Modified: | 2025-12-03 01:00+0000 |
| Metadata Record Published: | 2023-09-22 |
| Owner Org: | PIFSC |
| Metadata Publication Status: | Published Externally |
| Do Not Publish?: | N |
| Metadata Last Review Date: | 2023-09-22 |
| Metadata Review Frequency: | 1 Year |
| Metadata Next Review Date: | 2024-09-22 |