1. Towards improved stock assessments and management
Deepwater snapper
Towards improved stock assessments and management

2. Outline
Background
Work plan
Progress to date
Considerations

3. Background
Deepwater snapper are an important fisheries resource in many PICTs
Declines in catches in some PICTs have raised concerns about sustainability
Quantitative assessments are limited by lack of adequate biological and fisheries data

4. Background
At previous 3 HoF meetings, SPC members requested assistance with deepwater snapper management
At 2011 HoF meeting, members endorsed SPC efforts to seek funding to support deepwater snapper project
SPC obtained funding from:
AusAID ( ) - Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga, and the Marshall Islands
French Pacific Fund ( ) - New Caledonia
French Development Agency ( ) - New Caledonia

5. Deepwater snapper workshop
Deepwater snapper workshop held at SPC in July 2011
Identify priority information and training needs
Participants from 12 PICTs
The agreed outcomes from the workshop included a work plan for SPC’s deepwater snapper activities

6. Work Plan There are 4 priority work areas: Fisheries data collection
Improving biological knowledge
Fisheries assessment and management
Capacity development

7. Fisheries Data Collection
Aim is to develop a standardised approach to fisheries data collection across the Pacific region – many advantages:
Facilitates the development and maintenance of a common database system, which minimises development and maintenance costs;
Provides consistency in how and what data are collected and how they are analysed; and
Facilitates comparisons of fisheries among countries

8. Fisheries Data Collection
Activities
Support development of fisheries monitoring programs in-country (e.g. logsheets and port sampling)
Utilise existing logsheets where feasible, to maintain familiarity in data reporting
Otherwise utilise existing artisanal data forms
Modify existing artisanal fisheries database (TUF-ART) to accommodate deepwater snapper fisheries data

9. Improving Biological Knowledge
A large number of species are captured in deepwater fisheries
Generally assumed that most species are long-lived, slow growing and late to mature
Limited biological information available; longevity, growth and maturity is unknown for many species

10. Improving Biological Knowledge
Activities
Fisheries independent surveys
Fisheries dependent collections (e.g. port sampling)
Estimate longevity, growth rates, maturity schedules and spawning seasons for key species
Examine genetic stock structure to identify management units

11. Fisheries assessment and management
A lack of data has prevented traditional stock assessments for deepwater snapper
A long time series of precise catch and effort data is required
The cost of such data collection would most likely exceed the value of deepwater fisheries in most PICTs.
Is it appropriate to allocate significant resources to support stock assessments for deepwater snapper?

12. Fisheries assessment and management
Depletion experiments used to estimate Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) in 80/90’s
MSY may not be most suitable reference point for deepwater snapper, because:
Estimates of MSY are usually very uncertain
MSY assumes that the environment does not vary
Fishing at MSY levels may produce undesirable effects for deepwater snapper fisheries
e.g. while catches at MSY may be sustainable, catch rates may decline to levels that are not economically viable

13. Fisheries assessment and management
Need to develop alternative management indicators and reference points for deepwater snapper
Indicators need to be easy to monitor – e.g. fish size
Indicators and reference points need to be integrated into a formal management framework
Management Procedures (MP) is a useful framework, and is used successfully in other deepwater fisheries
MPs specify the management action(s) that will be taken when indicators reach certain threshold reference points
E.g reduce effort by X% when average fish size is < Ycm

14. Fisheries assessment and management
Activities
Characterise deepwater snapper fisheries in each PICT to identify trends and critical data limitations
Develop species distribution models and provide maps of potential habitat for the major target species
Develop indicators and reference points suitable for application within a MP framework

15. Capacity development
Aim to enhance capacity for deepwater snapper management and assessment in home country
Opportunities for Pacific Island Fisheries Officers to complete post-graduate studies
Long-term attachments to SPC to focus on developing skills in data analysis and assessment

16. Progress to date

17. Scientific Cruises Fished 24 seamounts
Cruises in Fiji, Samoa, Wallis & Futuna, and Tonga
Fished 24 seamounts

18. Scientific Cruises
Detailed catch and effort data from lightly exploited populations - useful baseline information for assessments
Biological samples collected from 970 individuals from 16 species

19. Data collection
Supporting deepwater snapper fisheries data collection programs – Tonga, Vanuatu, Samoa
Implemented and supporting biological sampling – Tonga, New Caledonia (>1000 samples)

20. Capacity development
AusAID funding provides support for 4 Pacific Island Fisheries Officers to complete postgraduate degrees
Scholarships
Vanuatu – Jeremie Kaltavara (MSc, Australian Maritime College)
Samoa – Ueta Fa’asili Jr (MSc, University of Wollongong)
Attachments, samples and analytical support
Tonga – Hau Halafihi (PhD, University of Canterbury)
Tuvalu – Etuati Poulasi (MSc, Australian Maritime College)

21. Species identification
Collaboration with Genetics lab at University of Hawaii
Identified new species (Etelis marshi) previously thought to be Etelis carbunclus (ruby snapper)
Etelis carbunculus
Etelis marshi
Etelis marshi
Etelis carbunculus
Etelis carbunculus
Etelis marshi

22. Identification cards
Waterproof species identification cards for fishers
Distributed to Fiji, Marshall Islands, New Caledonia, PNG, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu

23. Considerations Heads of Fisheries are invited to:
Note progress that has been made to date
Note that SPC will be providing in-country support to establish fisheries data collection programs, but
Acknowledge that success of the project will be dependent on support from Fisheries Departments
Consider the need for funding beyond the life of this project (2015)

24. Questions?