E - Iccat

ICCAT REPORT 2012-2013 (I)
Request 18.4 (Develop a Port Sampling Plan aimed at collecting fishery data) for bigeye, yellowfin, and
skipjack tunas that are caught in the geographical area of the area/time closure (paragraph 20, Rec. [11-01]
paragraph 31 and 18.5 (Review the content of FAD Management Plans elaborated by CPCs, Rec. [11-01])
A port sampling plan has been developed in Abidjan and in Tema. It is essential to strengthen the sampling
teams at these two ports and incorporate cargo vessels. Moreover, the FAD Management Plans were reviewed by
the SCRS. Six CPCs reported data. A FAD logbook and a real time fishing logbook, indicating the catches at
each FAD visit, are required. Subsequently, this information should be linked. The SCRS is aware of the
sensitive nature of this information, to which rules of data confidentiality are applied.
The Chair expressed his gratitude to Dr. Santiago for the presentation and opened the discussion.
The Russian Federation requested to return to the presentation on yellowfin fishing effort, and requested an
explanation for the declines of fishing effort in 1994. The SCRS Chair explained that this decline was partly due
to a significant decline of purse seine fishing effort: 50% participation of purse seiners between 1994 and 2006.
Furthermore, there is a reduction in the MSY in line with the increase (in number) of small fish catches.
The European Union raised the following questions:
− What is the explanation for the increase of skipjack catches in 2011 Can unreported catches be assessed
− What is the development for yellowfin catches from 1995 to 2005
− What are the consequences of 90% of catches on drifting FADs
− What information is required to improve the assessment of fishing effort under drifting FADs
Dr. Santiago’s responses were the following:
− The causes for the increase of skipjack catches in 2011 have not been thoroughly examined although it is
suggested that it was due to a change in catchability.
− There is concern about unreported catches and, for a long period of time, the SCRS has been seeking
more reliable information, however, it encounters technical difficulties. Collaboration is on-going with
Ghana and will provide more precise information in this regard.
− There is a clear association between the average size and the MSY. In 2005 it became stable due to fleet
selectivity.
− FAD impact represents an additional element for stock mortality. This information is shown in the
assessment;
− The quantification of “faux poisson” responds to the monitoring of a part of the fleet: size, Task I and
Task II data, specific type of commercialisation. Other important fleets, however, are not monitored,
although this should be carried out for the entire fleet.
The United States thanked the SCRS for its work to develop a port sampling plan, encouraged the concerned
CPCs to continue efforts to improve port sampling using the plan developed by SCRS, and noted its expectation
that improved data would result.
Chinese Taipei returned to the Kobe matrix for skipjack: there will be an increase in catches in the future, and
therefore purse seiners will catch more juveniles of the three tropical tuna species, which could be a problem for
bigeye and yellowfin, in particular.
The PEW observer emphasized the negative impact of the increase in FADs for bigeye and yellowfin and
reiterated that the management of these stocks must be in accordance with Recommendation 10-01 in force.
6. Measures for the conservation of stocks and implementation of the ICCAT Criteria for the allocation of
fishing possibilities [Ref. 01-25]
The Chairman recalled that Recommendation by ICCAT on a Multi-Annual Conservation and Management
Program for Bigeye and Yellowfin Tunas [Rec. 11-01] foresees the implementation of an observer programme
and that the terms of reference of the call for tenders of this programme was distributed as “ROP-TROP
Implementation.
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