TECHNICAL AND COMPLIANCE COMMITTEE Eighth Regular Session 27 September- 2 October 2012 Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia PEW IMPROVING

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1 TECHNICAL AND COMPLIANCE COMMITTEE Eighth Regular Sessin 27 September- 2 Octber 2012 Phnpei, Federated States f Micrnesia PEW IMPROVING MANAGEMENT OF THE WCPFC FAD FISHERY WCPFC-TCC8-2012/OP03 25 September 2012

2 Pew Envirnment Grup Managing the WCPFC Drifting FAD Fishery WCPFC Eighth Technical and Cmpliance Cmmittee 27 September 2 Octber, 2012 The UUU Fishery Unregulated, Unreprted, and Untracked Drifting FADs in the Western and Central Pacific WPCFC Drifting FAD fishery Over the past several decades, the use f drifting FADs (dfads) by tuna purse-seiners targeting skipjack has expanded dramatically in the western and central Pacific. Due t the prpensity f tuna t gather underneath flating bjects, FADs prvide greater ease and efficiency f lcating and capturing greater quantities f catch. Hwever, as skipjack catch frm dfads use increases s des the mrtality f juvenile bigeye, yellwfin, and ther vulnerable bycatch species such as silky sharks. Additinally, the uncntrlled prliferatin f FADs may have brader ecsystem impacts and cntributes t marine debris. Currently, tens f thusands f dfads are estimated t be drifting in the WCPFC Cnventin Area. They are in effect UUU unregulated, unreprted and untracked. The cnsequences f grwing dfad use were taken int accunt by WCPFC CCMs in 2008 with the adptin f CMM which called fr a three mnth FAD clsure and required CCMs t submit FAD management plans. Cuntries were t have submitted FAD management plans by July f 2009, but ut f the twenty CCMs wh participate in purse seine fishing in the WCPFC area nly fur plans were prduced n time 1. Furthermre, many f these plans were preliminary r expired and did nt include limits n the number f dfads being used r specific reprting requirements, bth f which were recmmended in CMM The number f active dfads is nt directly recrded by any CCM in their reprts t the WCPFC, making attempts t manage the fishery difficult and putting vulnerable species further at risk as n limits exist n the number f dfads that can be deplyed. One methd t estimate the relative level f FAD fishing a CCM participates in is t evaluate the percentage f big eye catch recrded by their purse seine fleet. In the tables belw higher percentages f bigeye culd indicate higher levels f dfad usage. Hwever, different fleets have different fishing practices and perate in different cean areas, which may als accunt fr different prprtins f bigeye catch. Table 1. Bigeye catch (metric tnnes) by purse seine fleet, 2011 Cuntry Bigeye catch Ttal Purse Seine Catch Percentage Bigeye Slmn Islands , Japan 2, , Philippines 3, , WCPFC-TCC OB-01

3 Vietnam , Indnesia 6, , PNG 5, , Suth Krea 7, , Vanuatu , New Zealand , China 3,280 77, US + territries (nt American 10, , Sama) Tuvalu 433 6, Chinese Taipei 11, , FSM 1,725 26, Kiribati 3,216 46, Marshall Islands 7,525 90, El Salvadr 1,867 12, Ecuadr 2,921 18, EU 7,158 39, As seen in Table 1, sme CCMs are able keep their bigeye catches t a minimum, while thers catch relatively high percentages f bigeye. Als t be taken int accunt is the gegraphic lcatin f the purse seine fishing as bigeye are mre prevalent in the central Pacific. Table 2 illustrates the lcatins where bigeye are mst susceptible t dfad fishing. Table 2. Bigeye catch (metric tnnes) in purse seine fleet by natinal waters, 2011 Cuntry Bigeye catch in EEZ Ttal Purse Seine Catch Percentage Bigeye in EEZ New Zealand 0 10,197 0 Ck Islands 5 1, Tkelau , Japan 114 6, Philippines 1,508 79, Vanuatu PNG 17, , Vietnam , Indnesia 6, , Slmn Islands 4, , FSM 4, , Sama American Sama 51 1, Fiji Wallis and Futuna Tuvalu 3,125 51, Nauru 8, , Kiribati 18, ,

4 US + territries (nt 101 1, American Sama) Marshall Islands 2,596 25, Prpsed dfad Management System The need fr an peratinal and effective dfad management system has never been mre pressing given the cntinued verfishing f bigeye and the recrd high number f FAD sets experienced in A system that tracks FADs thrughut the WCPO wuld be useful fr scientists and managers alike. Given that many dfad buys cllect ceangraphic data as well as bimass estimates, the infrmatin culd be helpful t the SPC in future stck assessments and shed light n imprtant questins regarding fish behavir arund dfads. Additinally, psitin data frm dfads culd be used fr MCS purpses t verify the FAD clsure and back up bserver data. Much f the data required t create such a management framewrk is already cllected by independent purse seine vessels and cmpanies, s the additinal cst f reprting the numbers and lcatins f dfads t the WCPFC wuld be minimal. A lw cst WCPFC dfad management system culd be develped using the fllwing criteria: Unique dfad identificatin Each dfad shuld have a unique WCPFC identificatin number, which can be cnfirmed by bservers when deplyed, set upn, and/r recvered. Require bservers and captains t reprt n all dfads deplyed dfad characteristics like netting depth, cnstructin materials, and type f lcatin device shuld be recrded. Track dfads via link t VMS Mst dfads are actively tracked using satellite buys. These buys perate similarly t VMS, and data n lcatin culd be tracked n a daily basis by WCPFC, FFA, and/r PNA. Establish a maximum number f FADs t be deplyed per year, per vessel, and/r per fleet The SPC recmmends limiting FAD set effrt t 2010 levels. This culd als be a reference pint t limit the number f FADs deplyed. Cnsider ther FAD management measures cnsistent with data Guidelines n FAD cnstructin, time/area restrictins, limits n the depth f netting, bans n light usage in rder t minimize impact n fish behavir and habitats, etc shuld be cnsidered. Recmmendatins In August f 2012, the WCPFC Scientific Cmmittee (SC) cncluded that the existing limits n the purse seine industry have nt cntrlled bigeye catch t the extent needed t end verfishing and that FAD clsures have nt ended verfishing f bigeye since FAD sets increased utside f the clsure perid.

5 Accrding t the SC, strnger cntrls ver the FAD fishery as well as a decreased dependency n the use f FAD sets are needed t end the verfishing f bigeye. Based n the 2012 WCPFC SC reprt, the Pew Envirnment Grup makes the fllwing recmmendatins. TCC8 shuld recmmend that the WCPFC: Limit the number f FAD sets t 2010 levels. Reduce dfad usage in the central pacific where bigeye mrtality is the highest by setting a precautinary hard limit n FAD sets, based n 2010 levels, in the eastern part f the Cnventin Area. Increase mnitring, cntrl, and surveillance ver dfad fishing activities by implementing an peratinal FAD management system that recrds and tracks dfads thrughut the WCPO by 2014.