97% of Global Tuna Catch Healthy; Nearly 100% Not Overfished

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation's January 2026 Status of the Stocks report shows a milestone for global tuna management: 97% of the world’s total commercial tuna catch now comes from stocks at “healthy” abundance levels, and nearly 100% of the global tuna catch comes from stocks not experiencing overfishing. ISSF calls the numbers the highest it has ever reported and says the results "indicate that tuna fisheries are not only biologically healthy but also being harvested at sustainable levels."

ISSF frames the change as rapid progress - the foundation notes this is a ten-percentage-point increase from the March 2025 report - and credits science-based fisheries management for the improvement. That shift matters at the dock, in processing plants, and on grocery shelves: more catch coming from healthy stocks can reduce regulatory shock for quota-managed fleets and strengthen sustainability claims used in market access and certification.

Regional fisheries management organizations played a central role in getting here. Assessments conducted across 2024 by the RFMOs - ICCAT, IOTC, IATTC, WCPFC and CCSBT - covered multiple populations including two albacore populations (Mediterranean and Southern Pacific), two yellowfin populations (Atlantic and Indian Oceans), bigeye and skipjack in the eastern Pacific, and Pacific bluefin. Fis-net summarizes the RFMO work as confirming a generally optimal status for many managed resources, while flagging specific exceptions.

Only two stocks were identified as overexploited in RFMO syntheses: Mediterranean albacore and Indian Ocean bigeye tuna. Fis-net reports both continue to be fished at unsustainable levels but adds that the responsible organizations are already implementing management measures. Those interventions will be critical for longline and mixed-gear fleets that rely on bigeye and albacore revenues.

Species-level numbers underscore how catch composition shapes headline metrics. Skipjack accounted for 58% of the global catch, with yellowfin at 30%, bigeye 7%, albacore 4% and bluefin 1%, figures reported in coverage of the ISSF findings. Major regional tonnages were concentrated in the western Pacific and eastern Pacific for skipjack and yellowfin, and large catches were also reported in the Indian Ocean. Catch volumes also appear to be rising: Fis-net reports global catches of the main tuna stocks at 5.2 million tonnes in 2023, while another compilation puts the 2024 total at 5.8 million tonnes after an 11% increase.

Observers should note the difference between percent-of-catch and percent-of-stocks metrics: ISSF's 97% is a catch-weighted figure, while one summary reports that 74% of the world's 23 major tuna stocks are at a healthy level of abundance. That distinction affects how stability is experienced by small coastal vessels versus large industrial fleets.

"The progress we see today is the result of long-term, co-ordinated efforts," Restrepo said in connection with the findings. For fishers, processors and retailers, the takeaway is straightforward: the broad picture for tuna is improving, but Mediterranean albacore and Indian Ocean bigeye remain priority concerns and will require follow-through from RFMOs and national managers. Verify the ISSF report tables and RFMO assessment updates if you rely on specific quotas or certification claims, and watch for upcoming management actions that may change access or rules for affected gears and regions.