E - Iccat

ICCAT REPORT 2012-2013 (I)
European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP), Federazione Nazionale delle Cooperative di Pesca
(FEDERCOOPESCA), Federazione Nazionale delle Imprese di Pesca (FEDERPESCA); Federation of Maltese
Aquaculture Producers (FMAP), Fédération de la Pêche Maritime et de l'Aquaculture (FPMA); Humane Society
International (HSI); International Game Fish Association (IGFA), Institute for Public Knowledge (IPK),
International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF); Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), Medisamak;
Oceana, Organisation for the Promotion of Responsible Tuna Fisheries (OPRT), Pew Environment Group, The
Billfish Foundation, Tuna Producer Association (TPA); US-Japan Research Institute (USJI), and World Wide
Fund for Nature (WWF).
The list of observers is included in the List of Participants (ANNEX 2).
The statements made to the plenary session, submitted in writing by the observers, are attached as ANNEXES
3.3, 3.4 and 3.5.
5. Summary Report of the Standing Committee on Research and Statistics (SCRS)
The SCRS Chair, Dr. Josu Santiago, informed the Commission that the 2012 SCRS meeting had been held in
Madrid, Spain from 1-5 October 2012. He presented a summary of the Report of the SCRS and indicated that the
specific recommendations by species would be presented in the appropriate Panels, particularly for those species
for which updated assessments had been conducted, i.e., bluefin tuna, white marlin and shortfin mako.
Dr. Santiago expressed his thanks for the work of the SCRS scientists and the Secretariat and summarized the
Committee’s main work and its recommendations in 2012 with special emphasis on the following:
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− The importance of encouraging greater participation in the SCRS and of continuing financial assistance
for meeting attendance.
− Analysis of the implications of the Recommendation by ICCAT on the Principles of Decision Making for
ICCAT Conservation and Management Measures [Rec. 11-13], 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] and the Resolution by ICCAT on Best Available Science [Res. 11-17] for the work of
the SCRS, and actions taken including the incorporation of the new requirements under [Res. 11-14] for
Executive Summaries and Detailed Reports of those stocks assessed in 2012 as well as work conducted to
implement the Res. 11-17, such as:
- Peer reviews of stock assessment and the participation of external experts at ICCAT meetings; and
- Methods for improving scientific training and building methodological skills amongst scientists of the
SCRS.
The SCRS had also made some general recommendations, including increased support for the Secretariat on data
base documentation and/or management, short-term hiring of a technical expert to complete work on observer
programmes, use of the data fund to invite external experts, in particular from other tRFMOs, to participate in
ICCAT stock assessments, and possible funding of data mining projects.
Dr. Santiago presented the different activities conducted within the priorities defined under Kobe III.
Another initiative proposed by the SCRS was the 2015-2020 SCRS Science Strategic Plan (including Data,
Research, Capacity Building & Quality Assurance aspects), a plan that would guide the activities of the SCRS in
the coming years.
Dr. Santiago also reviewed in plenary the responses to requests from the Commission, including the evaluation
of national observer programmes as required by the Recommendation by ICCAT to Establish Minimum
Standards for Fishing Vessel Scientific Observer Programs [Rec. 10-10] and transparency in accordance with
Res. 11-14. With regard to the former, he noted that information was insufficient to allow the SCRS to assess the
situation. A list of the information required has been developed on the basis of the decisions taken within the
Kobe process.
The Commission thanked Dr. Santiago for his presentation, commended the work of the SCRS, and adopted the
2012 SCRS Report.