The albacore is a very economically important fish and is a target of commercial and recreational fisheries. It was originally the basis for the United States tuna-canning industry and is no less important today, making up significant percentages of the gross domestic products of various Pacific nations. It is listed as Near Threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) because of the threat of overfishing. Several stocks are in significant decline and the species' overall population trend is decreasing.