Research Priorities of the SPC Oceanic Fisheries Programme John Hampton Oceanic Fisheries Programme Secretariat of the Pacific Community
Outline Tuna fishery and stocks OFP Strategic Plan 2006-2008 Research priorities
WCPFC Convention Area 150E 160E 170E 180 170W 160W 150W 140W 130W Western and Central Pacific & Eastern Pacific boundary 10S 0 10N 20N 30N Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission boundary 30N 20N 10N 0 10S 30S 20S 20S 30S 150E 160E 170E 180 170W 160W 150W 140W 130W
Purse seine 150E 160E 170E 180 170W 160W 150W 140W Catch Distributions 10S 0 10N 20N 30N 30S 20S Catch 1999-2003 500,000 250,000 50,000 Bigeye Skipjack Yellowfin 30N 20N 10N 0 10S 20S 30S 150E 160E 170E 180 170W 160W 150W 140W Longline 150E 160E 170E 180 170W 160W 150W 140W 30S 20S 10S 0 10N 20N 30N Catch 1999-2003 20,000 10,000 2,000 Albacore Bigeye Yellowfin 30N 20N 10N 0 10S 20S 30S 150E 160E 170E 180 170W 160W 150W 140W
2,500,000 Catch by gear Other Tuna Catch Total catch (tonnes) 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000,000 Purse seine Pole & line Longline 500,000 0 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2,500,000 Catch by species Total catch (tonnes) 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000,000 500,000 Yellowfin Skipjack Bigeye Albacore 0 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
Status of Tuna Stocks - Summary Skipjack Current catches sustainable and could be increased But increased purse seine effort will put more pressure on bigeye and yellowfin stocks Yellowfin Overfishing likely, particularly in equatorial zone Albacore (South Pacific) Current catches sustainable, could possibly be increased (although CPUE declines may impact profitability) Bigeye Overfishing currently occurring Limits on longline and purse seine catches/effort required
OFP Strategic Plan Goal Fisheries exploiting the region s resources of tuna, billfish and related species are managed for economic and ecological sustainability using the best available scientific information
OFP Strategic Plan Objectives 1. Accurate and comprehensive scientific data for regional and national fisheries management authorities 2. High-quality scientific information and advice for regional and national fisheries management authorities on the status of, and fishery impacts on, stocks targeted or otherwise impacted by regional oceanic fisheries 3. Improved understanding of pelagic ecosystems in the western and central Pacific Ocean
Research Priorities Stock Assessment (objective 2) Improvement in stock assessment methods MULTIFAN-CL software developments, including sex & multispecies Estimation of standardized abundance indices and effort, including estimation based on high resolution operational data Appropriate stock assessment model structure, particularly spatial structure Enhancement of stock assessment data Improvements in catch & effort, size & species composition data Tagging data
Tagging Data in Stock Assessments 40N 0 20N Movement and mixing 40S 20S 160E 180 160W 140W 120W 100W 80W Mortality Growth
Regional Tuna Tagging Project 1989-1992 Skipjack Yellowfin Bigeye 0 10N 20N Skipjack tuna releases n = 97 852 0 10N 20N Yellowfin tuna releases n = 39 413 0 10N 20N Bigeye tuna releases n = 7 906 20S 10S 150E 160E 170E 180 0 10N 20N Skipjack tuna returns n = 12 328 20S 10S 20S 10S 150E 160E 170E 180 20S 10S 20S 10S 150E 160E 170E 180 0 10N 20N Yellowfin tuna returns n = 4 890 0 10N 20N Bigeye tuna returns n = 979 20S 10S 150E 160E 170E 180 150E 160E 170E 180 150E 160E 170E 180
A New Tagging Project To provide information on: Current levels of fishing mortality (conventional tags) Movement (mixing), mortality, growth (conventional tags) Effects of FADs Local-scale behaviour (archival tags) On meso-large-scale movement (conventional + archival)
Regional Tuna Tagging Project 2 Phase 1 PNG Conventional and electronic tagging Exploitation rates and FADs Budget ~ $1.5 million Currently have finding commitments from GEF, EU, NZ, PNG (but scope for other collaboration) Phase 2 the rest Additional funding of about $3.5 million Further funding likely through the WCPFC Coordinate with IATTC tagging in the EPO
Tag Displacements Pre-FADs
145E 150E PNG FADs 0 5S 0 5S 145E 150E
Research Priorities Ecosystem Understanding (objective 3) Impacts of environmental variation on the ecosystem (and fisheries) SEAPODYM-type models Empirical approaches, e.g. Kirby s work Impacts of fisheries on ecosystem Trophic interactions Modelling bottom-up (SEAPODYM) and top-down (ECOPATH-SIM) Multi-species statistical models Special habitats & biodiversity Effect of FADs Seamounts By-catch By-catch estimation Status and fishery impacts on protected species
Summary of Key Priorities Stock assessment methodology Model development Abundance indices (particularly longline, but maybe purse seine) Tagging (conventional and electronic) Stock assessment inputs FADs Ecosystem research Modelling Trophic studies