Catches in 2014 have been marginally above the MSY level of the SS3 model. Fishing mortality represented as F2014/FMSY is 0.85 (0.57–1.12). Biomass is considered to be above the SBMSY level (SB2014/SBMSY = 1.80 (1.38–2.23)) from the SS3 model (Table 1, Fig.1). The results from the other model options were also generally consistent with these estimates of stock status. Thus, the stock status in relation to the Commission’s BMSY and FMSY target reference points indicates that the stock is not overfished and not subject to overfishing (Table 1), although considerable uncertainty remains in the SS3 assessment, particularly due to the lack of biological information on Indian Ocean albacore tuna stocks, indicating that a precautionary approach to the management of albacore tuna should be applied by capping total catch levels to MSY levels (approximately 40000 t; Table 2).