Feleti P Teo Executive Director Scope of Presentation Scope of - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Feleti P Teo Executive Director

Scope of Presentation Scope of Presentation

 Overview of the WCPFC

 Status of the WCPO tuna stocks  Challenges in managing the stocks  Management and compliance

efforts

 Conclusions

OVERVIEW OF THE WCPFC

Establishment of the WCPFC Establishment of the WCPFC

• 1982 – UNCLOS adopted
• 1994 – FFA called MHLC on South Pacific Tuna

Fisheries, Honiara

• 1995 – UNFSA adopted
• 2000 – WCPF Convention adopted
• 2004 – Convention entered into force

Objective of the WCPFC Objective of the WCPFC

To ensure, through effective management, the long- term conservation and sustainable use of HMFS in the WCPO in accordance with UNCLOS and UNFSA.

Key Functions Key Functions

Article 10 articulates 15 key functions for the WCPFC to develop governance of both fisheries and fishery resources within its mandate, including:

• Determination of TAC and TAE;
• Data collection;
• Scientific research and stock assessments to

provide scientific advice to the Commissioners;

• Develop CMMs;
• Monitoring compliance and surveillance.

Five Tuna RFMOs Five Tuna RFMOs

20N 20S 60S

180 150W 130W 141E

Membership Membership

• 26 Members

(FFA) Australia, Cook, FSM, Fiji, Kiribati, RMI, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Palau, PNG, Samoa, Solomon, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu. (Non-FFA) Canada, China, EU, France, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Chinese Taipei, USA

• 7 Territories
• A. Samoa, CNMI, F. Polynesia, Guam, New Caledonia, Tokelau, Wallis

and Futuna

• 7 Cooperating Non-Members

Ecuador, El Salvador, Liberia, Mexico, Panama, Thailand and Vietnam.

• 25 Observers

STATUS OF TUNA STOCKS

Skipjack Tuna Katsuwonus pelamis Yellowfin Tuna Thunnus albacares Bigeye Tuna Thunnus obesus Albacore Tuna Thunnus alalunga

68% 21% 5% 6%

2014 WCPO Tuna Production (by gear) 2014 WCPO Tuna Production (by gear)

Gear % Purse Seine 74 Longline 9 Poll-and-line 7 Others (Troll, ID, PH) 10

817 3665

1084 616

Other – pole and line, trollers, support vessels, harpooners, research vessels Longliners, including tuna longliners and freezer longliners Purse seiners, including tuna purse seiners Carriers and bunkers http://www.wcpfc.int/vessels

 283 in good standing with

FFA

 Approx 230 are registered

• n the PNA VDS register
• ¼ are presently flagged to

Pacific Island countries

817

6182

 In 2014, 1517 longliners

reported to the WCPFC VMS

• 746 are in good standing with FFA
• 10% were flagged to Pacific

Islands countries or territories

3665

6182

WCPFC WCPFC’ ’s Recent Stock Assessments s Recent Stock Assessments

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Bigeye tuna (WCPO) SA SA Update (Pacific-wide) Update Yellowfin tuna SA SA Skipjack tuna SA SA South Pacific (SP) albacore SA SA North Pacific (NP) albacore SA SA Pacific bluefin tuna SA SA SP swordfish SA NP swordfish SA SP striped marlin SA NP striped marlin SA Pacific blue marlin SA Oceanic whitetip shark SA Silky shark SA SA NP blue shark SA SA NP mako shark SA

Skipjack Tuna Katusuwonus pelamis Yellowfin Tuna Yellowfin Tuna Thunnus albacares Thunnus albacares Bigeye Tuna Thunnus obesus

Overfished:

Fishing mortality be reduced No further increase in No further increase in catches catches Avoid further increase in fishing mortality, keep stock at current levels

Summary of Scientific Advice

Stabilize/maintain/ no increase Rebuild stock / reduce catch

• Skipjack tuna
• Yellowfin tuna
• Albacore tuna
• SW Pacific swordfish
• Pacific-wide Blue marlin
• Bigeye tuna
• Pacific bluefin tuna
• SW Pacific striped marlin
• WCNP striped marlin
• Silky shark
• Oceanic whitetip shark

CHALLENGES IN MANAGING THE WCPO STOCKS

Key Challenges Key Challenges 1. 1.Multi Multi-

• stocks

stocks 2. 2.Multi Multi-

• gear

gear 3. 3.Data collection Data collection 4. 4.Coastal states v Flag states Coastal states v Flag states 5. 5.SIDS v Developed SIDS v Developed 6. 6.Compliance Compliance

Management Measures Management Measures

1.

• 1. Purse seine measures

Purse seine measures 2.

• 2. Longline measures

Longline measures

• FAD closure (3 – 4 month)
• Annual FAD limits (for some CCMs)
• Purse Seine catch retention
• 100% observer coverage
• Limit on LSPSVs (except SIDS and Indonesia)

EEZ limits (PNA VDS + others) High Seas (interim flag limits)

• Flag based bigeye catch limits with

monthly reporting for some (with SIDS exemption)

• Yellowfin limits to be agreed in 2014
• Limits on longline vessel numbers

targetting bigeye (with SIDS and Indonesia exemption)

Compliance Measures

Compliance tools Compliance tools

1.

• 1. Record of Fishing Vessels

Record of Fishing Vessels 2.

• 2. Commission VMS

Commission VMS 3.

• 3. Regional Observer Programme

Regional Observer Programme 4.

• 4. High Seas Boarding and Inspection scheme

High Seas Boarding and Inspection scheme 5.

• 5. WCPFC IUU List

WCPFC IUU List 6.

• 6. Compliance monitoring scheme

Compliance monitoring scheme

Conclusion and Take Home Messages Conclusion and Take Home Messages

1.

• 1. Bigeye and Pacific Bluefin tunas overfished.

Bigeye and Pacific Bluefin tunas overfished. 2.

• 2. Catch levels continue to increase.

Catch levels continue to increase. 3.

• 3. Need to review fishing capacity.

Need to review fishing capacity. 4.

• 4. Establish a harvest strategy framework

Establish a harvest strategy framework -

• target

target reference points. reference points. 5.

• 5. SIDS special requirements

SIDS special requirements 6.

• 6. Need for a robust MCS scheme.

Need for a robust MCS scheme.

Thank you…