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This paper focuses on the catches of albacore tuna made by the local and foreign licensed longliners and the transshipment of albacore over the last five years.
Majority of the foreign licensed longliners comes from the Asian countries namely Taiwan Province of China, Indonesia, Korea, People’s Republic of China and Malaysia. In 2018, one hundred and
ninety nine fishing licences were issued to the foreign tuna longliners. The catches increased from 5 686 tons in 2014 to 10 079 tons in 2018 while the percentage of albacore in the total catch varied
between 37.6% and 49.1%. The highest percentage, 49.1% was recorded in 2015. Majority of the catch that is 87% is attributed to the Taiwan, Province of China fleet. The latter holds the highest
number of fishing licences and is the most active among the foreign fleets operating in the EEZ of Mauritius. The fishing areas during the past five years (2014 to 2018), extended across latitudes 00
to 320 S and longitudes 44 0 to 810 E. Albacore tuna are caught as by-catch by the Mauritian longline fleet comprising fishing boats of less than 24 meters in length. These vessels target swordfish and they operate inside the EEZs of Mauritius and Mozambique. It is to be noted that from 2014 to 2018, 4% to 15% of their caches comprised albacore tuna. In 2018, 13 boats were operational and their total catch amounted to 821 tons. For those operating in the EEZ of Mauritius, the spatial distribution extended from latitudes 100 to 210 S and longitudes 54 0 to 660 E while those operating in the EEZ of Mozambique, were
active between latitudes 130 to 270 S and longitudes 34 0 to 420 E. Albacore tuna are transshipped by both licensed and unlicensed fishing vessels mainly longliners calling at Port Louis. Over the past five years (2014 to 2018), an average of 49 800 tons of tuna and tuna-like species were transshipped yearly with a corresponding average of 45% of albacore tuna.
