SPATIO-TEMPORAL PATTERNS OF JUVENILES IN EU PURSE SEINE FLEET CATCHES TARGETING TROPICAL TUNAS OVER THE PERIOD 1990-2019

The knowledge of the juvenile distribution in fisheries is essential to better manage the fishing effort on a stock. The exploration of a large dataset which covers 30 years of the purse seine fishery sampling enabled to study the spatio-temporal dynamic of the juvenile catches of the yellowfin and bigeye tunas. Results showed the existence of several areas of prime importance in terms of catch and concentration in juveniles with seasonal variations. Thus, the south of the fishing ground (Cape Lopez) was fished during winter month and the north during summer months (Cape Verde, Senegal y Mauritania). Offshore coastal zone and Gulf of Guinea were fished almost all along the year. This seasonal pattern is quite stable since the 90s but the proportion of juveniles in schools associated with floating objects tended to increase in both species. This preliminary study opened the way for further research on this important component of the fish stocks. La connaissance de la répartition des juvéniles dans les pêcheries est essentielle pour mieux gérer l'effort de pêche sur un stock. L'exploration d'un vaste jeu de données couvrant 30 ans d'échantillonnage de la pêcherie à la senne a permis d'étudier la dynamique spatio-temporelle des captures de juvéniles d'albacore et de thon obèse. Les résultats ont montré l'existence de plusieurs zones de première importance en termes de capture et de concentration des juvéniles avec des variations saisonnières. Ainsi, le sud de la zone de pêche (Cap Lopez) était pêché pendant les mois d'hiver et le nord pendant les mois d'été (Cabo Verde, Sénégal et Mauritanie). La zone côtière offshore et le golfe de Guinée ont été pêchés presque toute l'année. Bien que ce schéma saisonnier soit stable depuis les années 1990, la proportion de juvéniles dans les bancs associés à des objets flottants avait tendance à augmenter pour ces deux espèces. Cette étude préliminaire a ouvert la voie à d'autres recherches sur cette composante importante des stocks de poissons. El conocimiento de la distribución de los juveniles en las pesquerías es esencial para gestionar mejor el esfuerzo pesquero en un stock. La exploración de un gran conjunto de datos que abarca 30 años de muestreo de la pesquería de cerco permitió estudiar la dinámica espacio-temporal de las capturas de juveniles de rabil y patudo. Los resultados mostraron la existencia de varias zonas de importancia primordial en cuanto a la captura y concentración de juveniles con variaciones estacionales. Así, el sur del caladero (Cabo López) se pescaba durante el mes de invierno y el norte durante los meses de verano (Cabo Verde, Senegal y Mauritania). En la zona costera y en el golfo de Guinea se pescaba casi todo el año. Esta pauta estacional es bastante estable desde los años 90, pero la proporción de juveniles en los cardúmenes asociados a objetos flotantes tendió a aumentar en ambas especies. Este estudio preliminar abrió el camino a nuevas investigaciones sobre este importante componente de los stocks de peces.Versión del edito

Best standards for data collection and reporting requirements on FOBs: towards a science-based FOB fishery management.

A major concern for tropical tunas, on these last years, has been the worldwide increasing use of drifting FOBs by purse seiners, which are equipped with satellite buoys and echo-sounders. The use of these floating objects has contributed to increase the catch of skipjack tuna, but also of juveniles of yellowfin and bigeye tunas. Moreover, it has increased the amount of by-catch (including some species classified as vulnerable or endangered) and has likely resulted in adverse effects on the ecology of fish and on vulnerable areas (e.g. beaching events on coral reef areas). Despite the increasing FOB use and concerns, little information is available on FOB use worldwide for an appropriate monitoring and management. Thus, FOB monitoring has become a priority in all tuna t-RFMOs. However, the data collection and reporting requirements around FOBs are not standardized and there are significant data gaps. The aim of this document is to review current requirements and procedures in place and propose standards for data collection and submission on FOBs to tRFMOs. The proposals included in this document are the result of a collaborative work between scientists and the fishing industry

Statistics of the european and associated purse seine and baitboat fleets, in the Atlantic Ocean (1991-2017)

The document presents an overall summary of the fishing activities of the European and assimilated purse seine and bait boat fleets operating in the eastern Atlantic Ocean over the period 1991-2017. We describe the annual changes in fleet technical characteristics (carrying capacity, size), fishing effort (fishing and searching days), extent of fishing grounds, catches and nominal Catch per Unit Effort by species, as well as the average individual weight by species. Maps are also presented indicating the fishing effort distribution in the Atlantic, as well as the spatio-temporal distribution of European and assimilated purse seine catches in 2017 compared to previous years (2010-2016)

Statistics of the european and associated purse seine and baitboat fleets,in the Atlantic Ocean (1991-2018)

The document presents an overallsummary of the fishing activities of the European and assimilated purse seineand bait boatfleetsoperating in the eastern Atlantic Ocean over the period 1991-2018. We describe the annual changes in fleet technical characteristics (carrying capacity, size), fishing effort (fishing and searching days), extent of fishing grounds, catchesand nominal Catch perUnit Effort by species, as well as the average individual weight by species. Maps are also presented indicating the fishing effortdistribution in the Atlantic, as well as the spatio-temporal distribution of European and assimilated purse seine catches in 2018

Statistics of the European and associated Purse seine and baitboat fleets, in the Atlantic ocean.

The document presents an overall summary of the fishing activities of the European and assimilated purse seine and bait boat fleets operating in the eastern Atlantic Ocean over the period 1991-2016. We describe the annual changes in fleet technical characteristics (carrying capacity, size), fishing effort (fishing and searching days), extent of fishing grounds, catches and nominal Catch per Unit Effort by species, as well as the average individual weight by species. Maps are also presented indicating the fishing effort distribution in the Atlantic, as well as the spatio-temporal distribution of European and assimilated purse seine catches in 2016 compared to previous years (2010-2015)