E - Iccat

3 rd WG FUTURE OF ICCAT – MADRID 2012
To expedite the evaluation of the impact of ICCAT fisheries on sea turtle populations [Rec. 10-09], an expert
was contracted for a 6 months’ term working in coordination with the convener of the Sub-Committee on
Ecosystems.
The Sub-Committee on Ecosystems also established a work plan for activities and will meet again in 2012 to
review information available and make recommendations with regard to the methodologies.
The By-catch Coordinator was contracted by the Secretariat in May 2012.
Starting in 2011, the SCRS Report includes reporting scores on data completeness and quality. The Resolution
by ICCAT to Standardize the Presentation of Scientific Information in the SCRS Annual Report and in Working
Group Detailed Reports [Res.11-14] includes a proposal of format to report this information.
29. The Panel recommends that CPCs ensure that scientists participating in SCRS activities have a good
balance between quantitative skills and knowledge of the fisheries and of tuna biology.
The Committee agrees with this recommendation. The needs of developing CPCs in terms of capacity building
in this regard need to be addressed.
30. The Panel recommends that CPCs send trained and knowledgeable scientists to the SCRS meetings for
all fisheries in which they have substantial involvement.
The Committee agrees with this recommendation. The needs of developing CPCs in terms of capacity building
in this regard need to be addressed.
In 2011 the SCRS adopted guidelines for the use of different funds available at the Secretariat which should
further facilitate this capacity building. Nonetheless, lack of participation in assessments of scientists from CPCs
directly involved in tuna fisheries remains a problem, especially for southern hemisphere and Mediterranean
stocks. In 2011, only limited participation by scientists with fishery expertise in the South Atlantic and
Mediterranean albacore stock assessments was attained.
31. The Panel recommends that CPCs collect accurate Task I and Task II data from all their fisheries
according to ICCAT protocols and report them in a timely fashion to the ICCAT Secretariat. The
Panel further recommends that consideration be given to modify the ICCAT observer program to
collect such data.
a) The Committee agrees that it is essential that CPCs collect and report accurate fishery statistics.
In 2011, although some improvements in data reporting across CPCs were noted, the overall quality of the data
reported in support of stock assessments remains unconfirmed. Future work of the SCRS will involve assessing
the quality of data collected and reported, rather than evaluating the timeliness of reports.
b) The Committee believes that using observer programs to collect scientific information is an important
complement to regular logbook collection and other sampling activities that ICCAT typically uses to estimate
Task I and II data, and should be more broadly implemented by CPCs. Observers can also help cross-check
logbook data and collect information on dead discards, non-target species, size composition, etc.
Modification of the ICCAT observer program could be a reasonable option, especially for CPCs for which
national programs could not be implemented.
While requirements for observer sampling have been agreed, such data are not generally available to SCRS.
32. The Panel recommends that the provision of Rec. 07-08 preventing access to VMS data less than three
years old by SCRS scientists be removed at the next Commission meeting and that SCRS scientists be
immediately given access to current VMS data.
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