An age-structured statistical catch-at-length analysis(A-SCALA)is applied to thebigeye tuna population in the western and central Pacific Ocean(WCPO).The resultssuggest that the biomass at the start of 2002 is below the level that is required to producemaximum sustainable yield(MSY)and will reduce under average conditions and recenteffort levels.The recent average weight of bigeye in the catch is much lower than theweight which would maximize yields suggesting that reallocation of effort from fishingmethods that capture small bigeye to methods that capture large bigeye would substantiallyincrease yields.This is also supported by MSY calculations carried out separately foreach method type.The results of the analyses are very sensitive to the Indonesian fisheries,which catch a large number of small bigeye.Unfortunately,the amount and size structureof the catch from the Indonesian fisheries is highly uncertain and more data from thesefisheries should be a priority for the management of bigeye tuna in the WCPO.