Part I.- Information on Fisheries, Research and Statistics

by Program on tuna and tuna-like species

ESTIMATES OF ANNUAL CATCHES IN THE WCPFC STATISTICAL AREA WCPFC-SC5-2009/ST IP-1

Estimates of annual catches in the WCPFC Statistical Area (Figure 1) are presented for target tuna species, i.e., albacore (Thunnus alalunga) bigeye (Thunnus obesus), skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis) and yellowfin (Thunnus albacares), and major billfish species, i.e., black marlin (Makaira indica), blue marlin (Makaira mazara), striped marlin (Tetrapturus audax) and swordfish (Xiphias gladius). Estimates of catches o

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS

Rome, 2008The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. ISBN 978-92-5-106124-4 All rights reserved. Reproduction and dissemination of material in this information product for educational or other non-commercial purposes are authorized without any prior written permission from the copyright holders provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of material in this information product for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without written permission of the copyright holders. Applications for such permission should be addressed to

WCPFC-SC5-2009/GN-WP-17

2 Effort and catch allowed by CMM2008-01................................................................................... 2 2.1 Purse seine.............................................................................................................................

STANDARDIZED CPUE FOR DISTANT–WATER FLEETS TARGETING SOUTH PACIFIC ALBACORE 1

Longline catch and effort series represent the principal indices of relative abundance within the south Pacific albacore MULTIFAN-CL assessment. However, there have been temporal changes in the catchability of the distant-water longline fisheries, some of which are associated with changes in the species targeted. For example, since 1975 the entire Japan distant-water fleet and a large portion of the Korea fleet have changed the geographi

BirdLife International Global Seabird Programme 1 1 BirdLife International, UKAnalysis of Seabird Measures

To respond to the request for information from the WCPFC secretariat "that the WCPFC Secretariat seek advice from other RFMOs on the wording of CMM-2007-04. see WCPFC4 Summary Report, Attachment O, Annex 1, 1 a) (iv) and 1 b) (iv)] to ensure that tori lines include branch streamers along the aerial extent of the line and that in 1 a) (iv), the branch streamers are of a length that ensures that they would touch the surface of the water in the absence of wind and swell." BirdLife has reviewed the existing seabird mitigation measures for RFMOs, and provides comments on their ability to substantially reduce seabird bycatch. In addition, BirdLife has recently published the BirdLife Mitigation Fact Sheets (BirdLife International 2009 a-h), which provide specifications for best-practice for mitigation measures. These will provide guidanc

SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE FIFTH REGULAR SESSION

Approaches for identification of appropriate reference points and implementation of MSE within the WCP

1 2Generalized Linear Bayesian Models for Standardization of CPUE with Incorporation of Spatial-Temporal Variations

Catch and effort data from longline fleets are a key input in the assessment of yellowfin, bigeye, skipjack, and albacore tuna stocks in the WCPFC convention area (Hampton et al. 2006a, 2006b; Hoyle 2008). These data are used to derive standardised CPUE indices whose temporal trends are assumed to be proportional to the longline exploitabl