Five Recreational Fishing Organizations Unite to Fund Stanford Pacific Bluefin Tuna Migration Research

Co-issued by: American Sportfishing Association | Coastal Conservation Association National | Coastal Conservation Association California | International Game Fish Association | Wild Oceans

June 16, 2026

California, USA – A coalition of five leading recreational fishing organizations — American Sportfishing Association, Coastal Conservation Association National, Coastal Conservation Association California, International Game Fish Association, and Wild Oceans — has joined forces to support a new scientific initiative led by researchers at Stanford University to better understand and protect Pacific bluefin tuna (PBT), one of the most ecologically significant and recreationally important species in the Pacific Ocean. The study, led by Dr. Barbara Block and Dr. Emilius Aalto of Stanford’s Hopkins Marine Station, will draw on more than two decades of electronic tagging data with over 100,000 days of tracking of 450 Pacific bluefin tuna to model the effects of multi-year migrations on the population dynamics of Pacific bluefin tuna across the Pacific Ocean. In addition, otolith and microchemistry data will also be incorporated where available.

Pacific bluefin tuna support highly valuable multi-national fisheries across the Pacific, with strong economic and cultural importance to both commercial and recreational fishing communities, particularly along the California coast. In the past decade, populations have rebounded from overfishing due to conservation measures and favorable ocean conditions. This has contributed to a resurgence of sport fishing activity along the California coast as well as in Oregon and Washington. The recovery has led to the allocation of new commercial quota increases. Current management models do not incorporate the spatial and migration details that are evident in the biological data sets. By creating new models that incorporate all the biological data available, we may be able to improve forecasts of the future population status. This newly funded project will address those gaps by:

• Integrating 20+ years of electronic tagging data collected by Stanford scientists on bluefin ranging in size from age 2-8 years.
• Developing a novel spatial population model that tracks tuna movements between the western and eastern Pacific, a migration that spans 5,500nm.
• Improving estimates of migration, mortality, and recruitment across life stages.
• Evaluating how fishing pressure in one region affects fish availability in another.

By capturing the full complexity of PBT migrations spanning thousands of miles, the research aims to deliver more accurate and biologically realistic predictions for stock assessment and management, allowing for a better balance of sustainability with the economic needs of fishing communities. “We are pleased to be able to have the funding that enables examining population structure, maturation, and movement for the Pacific bluefin tuna population, much as we have done previously for Atlantic bluefin tunas,” said Dr. Barbara Block.

Why This Research Matters

Pacific bluefin tuna undertake one of the most extensive migrations of any marine species, traveling from spawning grounds near Japan and Taiwan to feeding areas in the eastern Pacific off North America, where they may remain for two to eight years before returning west. Heavy harvesting of younger fish in the western Pacific and increasing fishing pressure in the eastern Pacific may influence the number of fish available to U.S. fisheries. Research suggests that under 9 of 11 projected scenarios, recreational fishery catch of bluefin in the eastern Pacific could decline despite overall population growth (ISC 2024, Table 6.2), underscoring the need for more precise modeling of how these fish move and respond across their full range.

A Collaborative Investment in Ocean Stewardship

The five supporting organizations behind this work are making a strategic investment in science that bridges cutting-edge technology, international fisheries management, and conservation.

"At a time when fisheries success stories are limited, Pacific bluefin tuna demonstrates that international conservation measures can work. Rebuilding efforts have increased abundance and expanded recreational fishing opportunities along the West Coast, but important scientific uncertainties remain. Dr. Barbara Block's research will help advance our understanding of Pacific bluefin tuna, providing fisheries managers with better science to support sustainable harvest policies and ensure this recovery story continues for generations to come."

Larry Phillips, Pacific Fisheries Policy Director, American Sportfishing Association

“Dr. Block’s visionary work has set the pace for tuna research in the modern world. Her ongoing work is critical for the proper management of this important fishery and the recreational angling community and economy that it supports. We are grateful to be a small part of it.”

Pat Murray, President and CEO, Coastal Conservation Association

“The future health of the Pacific bluefin tuna fishery and anglers’ reasonable access to it is a priority for CCA Cal and our members. To accomplish that, additional science like that proposed by Dr. Block is critical.”

Doug Lasko, President, CCA California

“Using the best available science in Pacific bluefin tuna management is essential to the stock’s long-term sustainability. The IGFA is proud to support Dr. Block’s research and help make that science possible.”

Jason Schratwieser, President, International Game Fish Association

“Pacific bluefin tuna sustainability depends on a coordinated international effort and development of a long-term harvest strategy, a pre-agreed framework for making fishery management decisions. Dr. Block’s proposal will help fill in the gaps in our understanding of bluefin spawning, recruitment, and migration to ensure the harvest strategy yields the results we all desire: a robust spawning stock and fishing opportunities for future generations.”

Theresa Labriola, President, Wild Oceans

About the Supporting Organizations

The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) is the sportfishing industry's trade association and the trusted voice of the recreational sportfishing community, advocating for the conservation of fisheries and access, sensible fisheries policy, and the growth of the sportfishing industry. To learn more, visit www.asafishing.org.

The Coastal Conservation Association (CCA), founded in 1977, is one of the most influential marine conservation organizations in the United States, with 19 state chapters and more than 126,000 members working to protect the health, habitat, and sustainability of marine resources and recreational anglers' access to them. To learn more, visit www.joincca.org.

The Coastal Conservation Association California (CCA Cal), founded in 2015, works to conserve and enhance coastal resources for the benefit of the public while protecting the freedom to fish, with a focus on advocacy, habitat restoration, and fin fish hatchery programs along the California coast. To learn more, visit www.ccacalifornia.org.

The International Game Fish Association (IGFA), established in 1939, is a global nonprofit organization committed to the conservation of game fish and the promotion of responsible, ethical angling practices. With members in more than 100 countries, the IGFA is the world's leading authority on sport fishing and maintains the global database of game fish world records and angling rules. To learn more, visit www.igfa.org.

Wild Oceans, founded in 1973 as the National Coalition for Marine Conservation, is the nation's oldest nonprofit dedicated exclusively to marine fisheries conservation, working to keep the oceans wild through science-, law-, and ecosystem-based solutions. To learn more, visit www.wildoceans.org.

 

Media Contact:           Bruce Pohlot
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