We compiled a comprehensive dataset of geo-referenced catches from global tuna fisheries that use fishing gears set at the water's surface. This dataset was created by harmonizing public domain data from the five tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (t-RFMOs) for the period 1958-2021. Under the auspices of the Fisheries and Resources Monitoring System (FIRMS) of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), we developed a systematic data flow process in collaboration with the t-RFMO Secretariats. This process involved the implementation of a data exchange format adhering to the standards of the FAO Coordinating Working Party on Fishery Statistics (CWP), facilitating the seamless integration of data into the dataset.Geo-referenced catch data from tuna surface fisheries are reported in either the number of fish or live-weight equivalent (metric tonnes), with some strata providing catches in both units. The catches primarily represent the quantities of retained fish either landed or ... : Tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (t-RFMOs) are regional fishery bodies responsible for the conservation and management of tuna and tuna-like species, associated species, and their ecosystems across the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. T-RFMOS routinely collate and consolidate fisheries data from their Contracting Parties to inform the scientific advice guiding the management process.The dataset was compiled using publicly available monthly geo-referenced catch data curated and disseminated by four t-RFMOs: the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT), the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), and the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC). The data retained pertain to surface fishing gears with the following specifications: (i) types of fishing gears included: surrounding nets, gillnets, entangling nets, and pole-and-lines, (ii) temporal resolution of monthly intervals, (iii) ...