R E P O R T for biennial period, 2006-07 PART I (2006) - Vol ... - Iccat

ICCAT REPORT 2006-2007 (I)
− Recommendation [05-05] to amend the Recommendation [04-10] concerning the conservation of
Sharks caught in association with fisheries managed by ICCAT (GFCM/2006/8 (B)).
− Recommendation [05-06] establishing a program for transshipment by large-scale longline fishing
vessels (GFCM/2006/8 (C)).
In relation to the mandate of the joint GFCM/ICCAT Working Group on Large Pelagic Species, the Commission
acknowledged once more the positive achievements of the Joint GFCM/ICCAT Working Group on Large
Pelagic Species since its establishment in 1989. In view of the wish expressed by ICCAT to consider the
proposed updated mandate for the Joint Working Group at its next plenary session, the Commission decided to
review progress made on this issue at its Thirty-first session which will take place in January 2007. At its 19 th
Regular meeting, it was agreed that ICCAT would consider this issue in light of the decision of the GFCM.
There was some considerable discussion in relation to administrative and financial matters of the Commission,
including status of ratification, headquarters of the Commission, implementation of the autonomous budget,
adjustments to the rules of procedure and the preparation of a compendium of recommendations and resolutions
and the meeting schedule for 2006, which includes nine meetings of the Scientific Advisory Committee, and
eight meetings relating to the work of the Committee on Aquaculture.
Actions: None.
Report availability: ftp://ftp.fao.org/FI/DOCUMENT/gfcm/gfcm_30/GFCM30e.pdf
Third Meeting of the FIRMS Steering Committee
Location: Madrid, Spain, February 13-15, 2006.
Representative: V. Restrepo, P. Pallares, P. Kebe, and C. Palma (ICCAT Secretariat).
Substantive Agenda Items: Progress on the development of FIRMS Partnership; Review of new perspective
Partners; Review of Technical Working Group Meeting; FIRMS Information Management Policy; Review of the
Progress Status of the FIRMS Database and Module Development.
Comments: The Fishery Resources Monitoring System (FIRMS) is a partnership drawing together international
organizations, regional fishery bodies and national scientific institutes, collaborating within a formal agreement,
who are willing to report and share information on status and trends of fishery resources, using a harmonized
internet-based structure. ICCAT’s principal contribution is the species executive summaries produced by the
SCRS. The meeting was hosted by ICCAT.
Much of the meeting was devoted to make improvements on standard terminology to be used in the reports from
the various bodies. Considerable attention was paid to the possible use of common descriptors for stock status.
Up to now, FIRMS has adopted the seven standard descriptors that FAO has used for many years
(“overexploited”, “fully-exploited”, etc.). ICCAT noted several concerns with this system that could lead to
inaccuracies in reporting for ICCAT stocks. The meeting agreed on a proposal to study the possibility of
adopting two different sets of descriptors instead: one for stock abundance, and another for exploitation rate.
The SCRS will be consulted about the appropriateness of such a system.
The meeting also made considerable progress on the information management policy, including terminology.
At this time, the FIRMS system is sufficiently developed so that example stock status reports should be made
available in the short-term. The meeting agreed that the United Nations Conference meeting held in May 2006
on the UNFSA provided a good opportunity to “kick-off” FIRMS and publicize it.
ICCAT plans to complete the uploading of its executive summary reports into FIRMS by May 2006.
Actions: SCRS: The Committee should decide on the usefulness of adopting a common set of qualitative
descriptors of stock status as recommended by the meeting. The Committee should also monitor the
development of FIRMS, as this can become an effective mechanism for making the species summaries available
to a much wider audience worldwide than is currently possible with the Biennial Reports and the ICCAT Web.
Report availability: From FAO-FIGIS (and http://firms.fao.org)
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