Yellowfin tuna is considered a single population in the western and central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) for stock assessment purposes (Vincent et al. 2020 and references cited therein), although there is still uncertainty about the stock structure along the Pacific Ocean.

The Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) is an Oceania subregional agreement between the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvatu, and the Marshall Islands. The PNA coordinates the implementation of management measures with a view to enhancing economic benefits from the fishery. Member countries of the PNA have adopted and implemented distinct Vessel Day Schemes for the longline and purse seine fisheries, whereby they allocate fishing days to a country which are sold to the highest bidder. The PNA unassociated (free school) fishery was MSC certified in 2011. All the PNA parties are Members of the WCPFC.

The Indonesian fleet was made up of 150 longline, 72 purse seine, 23 pole and line, 1 gillnet, 182 support vessels and 2 unknown vessels during 2012. Indonesia reported 16,729 t landed by longlines, 11,617 t by purse seine, 1,864 by pole and line, 2,051 by handline and 15,338 t of yellowfin tuna by other gears during 2012 { Indonesia 2013}.