SESSION 4 Annual Catch Estimates Introduction/Objectives – WCPFC Obligations Seventh Tuna Data Workshop (TDW-7) 15-19 April 2013 SPC, Noumea, New Caledonia

Presentation Outline Introduction and Objectives Why collect data ? What are Annual Catch Estimates ? Why are Annual Catch estimates important ? WCPFC Annual Catch estimates submission Reference to Guidelines Key criteria to follow Areas covered Species covered Indication of how estimates determined A note about “Coverage “ Status of Annual catch estimates submissions WCPFC submissions of other data Your work on producing annual catch estimates …

Long-distance (>1,000 nmi) movements of tagged skipjack. Why collect data ? Tuna don’t recognise man-made boundaries – they are “highly migratory” species - so stock assessment and management must be done on a regional, and sometimes ocean-wide, basis Long-distance (>1,000 nmi) movements of tagged skipjack.

Data obligations to the WCPFC In order to conduct the scientific work necessary to ensure the conservation and management of the target tuna species throughout their stock boundaries … (essentially the entire Convention Area and beyond) … WCPFC member countries agreed that a set of fishery data must be provided on an annual basis to conduct the regional stock assessments, which would provide advice to the WCPFC member countries to manage their stocks …..

What are Annual Catch Estimates ? “…are simply the total catches by species for a fishing fleet covering a calendar year “ Catch => metric tons Total number of active vessels in the fleet => required (as per slide)

Why are Annual Catch Estimates important ? Summary of actual catch at a concise level Indication of all data collected in the tuna fishery Indication of the evolution of National fisheries Provides easy comparisons between years, fleets, gears, fisheries, etc. Can be used for economic purpose (value of catch) Used to give an indication of coverage of other data collected -- Used to “raise” other types of data used in stock assessments (logsheet and landings data) (as per slide)

Annual Catch Estimates – WCPFC guidelines The WCPFC guidelines for “Scientific Data to be provided to the Commission” specify exactly what is required. (http://www.wcpfc.int/doc/data-01/scientific-data-be-provided-commission-revised-wcpfc4-wcpfc6) (as per slide)

Annual catch by GEAR and SPECIES No. of ACTIVE Vessels Calendar Year Annual Catch Estimates – WCPFC Data Provision WCPFC Requirements: Annual catch by GEAR and SPECIES No. of ACTIVE Vessels Calendar Year The area is the WCPFC CONVENTION AREA Prepared for the NATIONAL FLEET The deadline is 30th APRIL each year More details: http://www.wcpfc.int/doc/data-01/scientific-data-be-provided-commission-revised-wcpfc4-wcpfc6 (as per slide)

Annual catch estimates provided for the WCPFC Convention Area

Annual catch estimates must be provided for the other areas in some cases. For example, ALB and SWO stocks are separated by the equator

Annual catch estimates The main requirement is for the provision of total annual catch in metric tons by GEAR and SPECIES for your national fleet activities in the WCPFC Statistical Area. Species catches for each gear type are … LONGLINE : Bigeye, Albacore, Yellowfin, Pacific Bluefin and Skipjack tuna; Striped marlin, blue marlin, black marlin and swordfish; Blue shark, Silky shark, Oceanic Whitetip shark, Thresher sharks, Mako sharks and Hammerhead sharks PURSE SEINE : Skipjack, Yellowfin, Bigeye, Albacore and Pacific Bluefin tuna POLE-AND-LINE: Skipjack, Yellowfin , Bigeye, Albacore and Pacific Bluefin tuna TROLL: Skipjack, Yellowfin , Bigeye, Albacore and Pacific Bluefin tuna OTHER GEARS: Skipjack, Yellowfin , Bigeye, Albacore and Pacific Bluefin tuna

Annual catch estimates What types of data were used Need to provide an indication of how annual catch estimates were determined... What types of data were used Coverage rates of each type of data used Statistical methods used - if relevant Conversion factors used – if relevant (e.g. what is used to convert the processed weight of longline-caught fish to whole weight) For your estimates, this could be covered as follows … Logsheet and unloadings data raised using VMS Trip data Coverage of logsheet data was 82% determined from VMS trip data TUFMAN was used to raise logsheet-reported catch by weight based on unloadings data

Importance of “coverage” and annual catch estimates In general terms, “coverage” is defined as - “The extent or degree to which something is observed, analyzed, and reported” With certain tuna fishery data collection, we strive to achieve 100% coverage which provides the most accurate reflection of the fishery (as per slide)

Coverage Why is Coverage important ? “Coverage” provides an indication of the reliability of the different types of data collected and the degree that it represents actual fishing activity [Lower coverage usually means more “bias”] “Coverage” is a key component in estimating annual catches, and the level of coverage will determine the accuracy of the annual catch estimate … (as per slide)

Provision of 2011 Annual Catch Estimates to the WCPFC http://www.wcpfc.int/statprov (as per slide)

WCPFC Submissions – other data A note about the provision of AGGREGATE and OPERATIONAL LOGSHEET data to the WCPFC SPC Member countries who provide logsheets to SPC on a regular basis automatically satisfy the requirement for the submission of AGGREGATE and operational LOGSHEET data to the WCPFC (as per slide)

WCPFC Submissions – other data (as per slide) Provision of 2012 Aggregate data to the WCPFC Since Pacific Island member countries regularly provide SPC with logsheet data, their WCPFC aggregate data submission is AUTOMATIC – it is generated by SPC on your behalf

In any event, we are here to help you this week ! Annual catch estimates – what you need to do .. The work needs to be completed by the end of the week Use your template from last year (see next slides) If appropriate, use your TUFMAN data to determine annual catch estimates with the VMS recon tool (refer to the next presentation) Don’t forget to consider revising the estimates from years prior to 2012 - if appropriate ! Special attention this year to SHARK CATCH Estimates and DISCARDS estimates !! In any event, we are here to help you this week ! Congratulations to those who have already submitted their 2012 estimates (as per slide)

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Annual catch estimates – SHARK SPECIES ... SPC has produced estimates of SHARK SPECIES for your fleets from OBSERVER DATA … we will provide these estimates to you to incorporate into your ANNUAL CATCHES estimates provision … (as per slide) NOTES Shark species catch estimates have been determined by raising the nominal observed catch by the coverage rate (observed target tuna catch to annual catch estimates of target tuna). Observer data with coverage rates > 0.8% have only be considered. There are currently no observer data are available (for this year) to estimate shark species catches.  As an interim measure, shark species composition data obtained from observers for this fleet in adjacent years have been used to produce very provisional estimates of shark species catch. For recent years, processed observer data may become available and will therefore contribute to a more reliable estimate in the future. The observer data coverage rate is considered too low (< 0.8%) to produce estimates of shark species catches for this year.  As an interim measure, shark species composition data obtained from observers for this fleet in adjacent years have been used to produce very provisional estimates of shark species catch. For recent years, processed observer data may become available and will therefore contribute to a more reliable estimate in the future.