SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE TENTH REGULAR SESSION

Seabird interaction rates in the Hawaii‐based shallow and deep‐set longline fisheries by vessel size as estimated from observer data (2004–2013)

Dear All,

37. By 1 July 2014, CCMs fishing on the high seas shall submit to the Commission Management Plans for the use of FADs by their vessels on the high seas, if they have not done so. These Plans shall include strategies to limit the capture of small big-eye and yellowfin tuna associated with fishing on FADs, including implementation of the FAD closure pursuant to paragraphs 14 – 18. The Plans shall at a minimum meet the Suggested Guidelines for Preparation for FAD Management Plans for each CCM (Attachment E). The Commission also tasked the Secretariat to: 38. The Commission Secretariat will prepare a report on additional FAD management options for consideration by the Scientific Committee, the Technical & Compliance Committee and the Commission in 2014, including: a. Marking and identification of FADs; b. Electronic monitoring of FADs; c. Registration and reporting of position information from FAD-associated buoys; and d. Limits to the number of FADs deployed or number of FAD sets made. This request under paragraph is exactly the same as the request made under CMM 2008

SCIENTIFIC DATA AVAILABLE TO THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL PACIFIC FISHERIES COMMISSION

This paper reports on the major developments over the past year with regard to filling gaps in the provision of scientific data to the Commission. All CCMs with fleets active in the WCPFC Convention Area provided 2013 annual catch estimates before the deadline. Estimates for the key shark species (which is in accordance with the change in the requirements to include the key shark species catches) continue to improve and the implementation of the new extended longline logsheets (which has the provision for reporting shark at the species level) is gradually progressing. In general, the timeliness of the provision of aggregate catch/effort data continues to improve with nearly all CCMs providing data by the deadline of 30th April 2014. The quality of aggregate data provided has also improved with a reduction in the number of notes assigned to the aggregate data in recent years. Aggregate data for the Japanese Coastal longline fleet (1994-2013) and operational data from the Vietnam longline fleet (2012-2013) were made available for the first time. Annual catch estimates by EEZ and high seas areas were provided by Japan (2008-2013) and Chinese Taipei (2011-2013) for the first time. Japan also provided vessel numbers in their aggregate data (2008-2013) covering their longline (distant-water), poleand-line and purse seine fleets for the first time

WCPFC‐SC10‐2014/MI‐WP‐03 (MOW2‐WP‐02)

fisheries as an example Overview: The purpose of this paper is to take one of the biological management objectives suggested at MOW1 for the tropical longline and purse seine fisheries – maintaining yellowfin and bigeye biomass above levels that provide fishery sustainability throughout their range – and provide an example of how it could be made operational to help negotiate and determine Target Reference Points (TRPs) for a stock. In this example we identify the yellowfin stock sizes associated with 'good ' CPUE in longline fisheries in temperate regions of the WCPO. We used these stock sizes to act as potential target TRPs consistent with a management objective of 'maintaining the fisheries across the historical geographic range of the stock'. Noting that the 'strawman ' document states that "Range contractions of yellowfin and bigeye would have serious implications, particularly for SIDs based fleets", we identify the conditions within relevant fisheries that would rebuild stock sizes to those target levels within relatively short timescales, and examine the potential consequences for tropical and temperate fisheries. The paper should stimulate discussion on a range of matters including the overall managemen

SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE TENTH REGULAR SESSION

Preliminary analysis for accuracy of catch amount by species caught by purse seine comparing observer data and landing dat

OVERVIEW OF SIZE DATA FOR BIGEYE TUNA CAUGHT BY JAPANESE LONGLINE FISHERY IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN

Size data of Bigeye tuna caught by Japanese longline fishery in the Pacific Ocean has been compiled since 1965 and this data has officially been submitted to WCPFC and IATTC. As explained below, Japanese size data has collected from some data source in length and/or weight. At the last SPC pre-assessment workshop held in Noumea in April 2013, discrepancy of trend of lengt

Mitigation Measures

Pelagic longline gear is used throughout the world’s oceans to capture tuna and tuna-like species. Longline gear is typically deployed from a single vessel across many miles of ocean. The vessel deploys a single mainline that is periodically buoyed with floatation devices and thinne

Blue shark (BSH)

Here we present an updated and expanded analysis of factors impacting the catch rates and condition of several key shark species. It builds on the analyses of Bromhead et al. (2013) by including additional data and shark species / species groups, plus analyses of condition of sharks on retrieval and impact of hook position on catch rates. We used the same three fisheries defined in Bromhead et al. (2013) and added another fishery for US‐ flagged vessels fishing in American Samoa. The original intention was to also include the mako and hammerhead shark species groups, but these were excluded due to time constraints – these also had the least records across the four fisheries. Species/Species groups Oceanic whitetip (OCS) Silky shark (FAL

Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission

This paper aims to review and recommend appropriate limit reference points (LRPs) for WCPFC elasmobranchs taking into consideration the WCPFC’s LRP framework for target species. It provides a conceptual framework for selecting appropriate LRPs for relatively data-poor and under-studied elasmobranch populations while allowing the WCPFC debate on the theoretical advantages and disadvantages of various LRPs to continue. Three broad types of LRPs are defined: i) estimated LRPs which are derived from population models; ii) empirical LRPs that can be directly observed in the field; and iii) risk-based LRPs based on life history parameters alone. After considering a number of expert reviews, and the application of LRPs to sharks and rays in fisheries around the world, this paper recommends a paired (pressure-state) and tiered (based on availability of information) framework similar to that adopted for target species. For those elasmobranchs evaluated using a stock assessment model, a fishing mortality-based LRP of FMSY is recommended on the basis that it is appropriately conservative and commonly applied as a best practice LRP. However, in cases where the stock-recruitment relationship is highly uncertain, it is recommended that Fcurrent also be compared to an SPR-based LRP such as F60%SPR,unfished so that the WCPFC Scientific Committee can decided on a case-by-case basis whic