2010 SCRS Meetings U.S. Participation IAC Spring Meeting April 7-9, 2010

2 SCRS Officers SCRS Chair: Dr. Gerald Scott (USA. – NOAA/SEFSC) Subcommittee on Statistics: Dr. Mauricio Ortiz (USA – NOAA/SEFSC) Subcommittee on Ecosystems: Dr. H. Arrizabalaga (E.U.) Stock Assessment Methods WG: ? Ad hoc Tagging : East Atlantic Coordinator: Dr. Enrique Rodriguez-Marin (E.U.) Ad hoc Tagging : West Atlantic Coordinator: Dr. Eric Prince (USA – NOAA/SEFSC) Species Groups: Tropical Tunas Coordinator: Dr. J. G. Pereira (E.U.) Bigeye Tuna Rapporteur: Dr. David Die (USA – UM/RSMAS) Yellowfin Tuna Rapporteur: Dr. Craig Brown (USA – NOAA/SEFSC) Skipjack Tuna Rapporteur : Dr. D. Gaertner (E.U.) Albacore Rapporteur: Dr. V. Ortiz de Zarate (E.U.) Billfishes Rapporteur: Dr. Freddy Arrocha (Venezuela)

3 SCRS Officers Species Groups (cont.) Bluefin Tuna Coordinator: Dr. Joseph Powers (USA – LSU) East Atlantic Rapporteur: Dr. J.M. Fromentin (E.U.) West Atlantic Rapporteur: Dr. Clay Porch (USA – NOAA/SEFSC) Swordfish Coordinator: Dr. John Neilson (Canada) North Atlantic Rapporteur: Dr. John Neilson (Canada) South Atlantic Rapporteur: Dr. P. Travassos (Brazil) Med. Swordfish Rapporteur: Dr. G. Tserpes (E.U.) Sharks Rapporteur: Dr. A. Domingo (Uruguay) Small Tunas Rapporteur: Dr. J. Ortiz de Urbina (E.U)

4 Assessment Calendar SPECIES Last/Next YFT, Yellowfin Tuna,Thunnus albacares 2008 / 2012? BET, Bigeye Tuna, Thunnus obesus 2007 / 2010 SKJ, Skipjack Tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis 2008 / 2012? ALB, Albacore, Thunnus alalunga 2009 / ? BFT, Atl. Bluefin Tuna, Thunnus thynnus t / 2010 SWO, Swordfish Atl., Xiphias gladius 2009 / 2012? SWO-Med., Xiphias gladius 2007/ 2010 SAI, Sailfish, Istiophorus albicans 2009 / ? BUM, Blue Marlin, Makaira nigricans 2006 / 2011 WHM, White Marlin, Tetrapturus albidus 2006 / ? Small Tunas (various) N/A Pelagic sharks, Prionace glauca, Isurus oxyrinchus 2008 / 2012? Porbeagle, Lamna nasus 2009

SCRS Meetings DateMeetingLocation April 21-23Stock Assessment Methods (Precautionary Approach)Madrid, Spain April 26-30BET Data Preparatory MeetingMadrid, Spain May 17-21BUM Data Preparatory MeetingMadrid, Spain May 31-June 4Subcommittee on EcosystemsMadrid, Spain June 14-19BFT Data Preparatory MeetingMadrid, Spain June 28-July 3Med. SWO assessment; Med. ALB data prep.Madrid, Spain July 5-9BET Stock Assessment SessionMadrid, Spain July nd Meeting of the WG on the Future of ICCATBrasilia, Brazil Sept 6-12BFT Stock Assessment SessionMadrid, Spain Sept 27-Oct 1Species Group MeetingsMadrid, Spain Oct 4-8SCRS Plenary SessionMadrid, Spain Nov th Special Meeting of the CommissionParis, France

6 US Scientific Delegation Contributions Scientific documents from U.S. scientific delegation members must be submitted through the U.S. chief scientist for ICCAT MeetingTitles/AbstractManuscript Stock Assessment Methods (Precautionary Approach) April 1, 2010April 7, 2010 BET Data Preparatory MeetingApril 1, 2010April 7, 2010 BUM Data Preparatory MeetingApril 16, 2010April 30, 2010 Subcommittee on EcosystemsApril 30, 2010May 14, 2010 BFT Data Preparatory MeetingApril 30, 2010May 14, 2010 Med. SWO assessment; Med. ALB data prep.May 14, 2010May 28, 2010 BET Stock Assessment SessionMay 14, 2010May 28, 2010 BFT Stock Assessment SessionJuly 16, 2010July 30, 2010 Species Group Meetings/ SCRS PlenaryJuly 23, 2010August 6, 2010

Meeting of the ICCAT Working Group on Stock Assessment Methods (Precautionary Approach) April 21-23, 2010 Precautionary approach. The Working Group requests advice from the SCRS on how the precautionary approach could best be expressed in the Convention….The WG also noted that the incorporation of the precautionary approach into the Convention might involve reexamination of the Convention itself SEFSC personnel are preparing a manuscript describing current U.S. policies under the MSRA and the effect of using such an approach on appropriate targets and limits for ICCAT stocks (with an application to BET).

BET Data Preparatory Meeting (April 26-30) and Stock Assessment Session (July 5-9)

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BET Data Preparatory Meeting (April 26-30) and Stock Assessment Session (July 5-9) In addition to typical stock assessment activities/responsibilities, SEFSC personnel are conducting research including: A description and example of the use of statistical catch-at-age models (i.e. Stock Synthesis) for BET. The current base model is a surplus production model. The potential use of Stock Synthesis to directly evaluate Management Strategies, including time-area closures. Submission of Stock Synthesis to the ICCAT Software Catalog

BUM/WHM Data Preparatory Meeting (May 17-21)

BUM/WHM Data Preparatory Meeting (May 17-21) Initially, this meeting was intended to be a stock assessment for BUM/WHM. Currently, the objective of this meeting is to prepare for a BUM stock assessment in Due to problems with species ID (WHM, roundscale spearfish, longbill spearfish) the SCRS does not expect to do an assessment of WHM in

BUM/WHM Data Preparatory Meeting (May 17-21) In addition to typical stock assessment activities/responsibilities, SEFSC personnel are conducting the following research. Ongoing retrospective analyses of existing samples (E. Prince, David Die, M. Shivji). Exploration of potential advantages of advanced stock assessment techniques (e.g. age structured assessments). Examination and validation of conventional tagging database. Explore CPUE standardization that takes into account the different catchability inside/outside the OMZ.

Subcommittee on Ecosystems Meeting (May 31 – June 4)

Subcommittee on Ecosystems Meeting (May 31 – June 4) The objectives of this meeting are: To obtain detailed information on interactions with bycatch species from Contracting Parties. To collect available data from observer programs to provide advice regarding optimum observer coverage for accurate estimation of bycatch. Review the development and application of ecosystem indicators that could be used to inform ICCAT assessments. Review the bycatch database (from the short-term contract) and determine how it could be used to develop Ecosystem Risk Assessment approaches to identify species most at risk. In addition to typical activities/responsibilities, SEFSC personnel are conducting the following research. Preliminary manuscripts will be presented to the working group:

Mediterranean SWO assessment and Mediterranean ALB data preparatory meeting (June 28- July 3) The SEFSC does not currently plan to participate in this meeting, and no scientific manuscripts have been submitted/planned to date.

Mediterranean SWO assessment and Mediterranean ALB data preparatory meeting (June 28- July 3) Med. SWO Stock Status

BFT Data Preparatory Meeting (June 14-19) and Stock Assessment Session (Sept 6-12)

BFT Data Preparatory Meeting (June 14-19) and Stock Assessment Session (Sept 6-12) EATL -BFT

BFT Data Preparatory Meeting (June 14-19) and Stock Assessment Session (Sept 6-12) EATL -BFT

BFT Data Preparatory Meeting (June 14-19) and Stock Assessment Session (Sept 6-12) WATL -BFT

BFT Data Preparatory Meeting (June 14-19) and Stock Assessment Session (Sept 6-12) WATL -BFT

BFT Data Preparatory Meeting (June ) and Stock Assessment Session (Sept 6-12) UPDATED GROWTH CURVE for WBFT (SCRS/2009/160). Research conducted by V.R. Restrepo, G.A. Diaz, J. Neilson, J.F. Walter, S.E. Campana, D. Secor, R.L. Wingate Combined the available otolith-based age-length readings with the size frequency distributions of small (ages 1-3) bluefin caught by purse seiners in the 1970s where the age classes are distinctly visible. Analyzed the two datasets jointly using a maximum likelihood approach which assumed that variability in length at age increases with age.

BFT Data Preparatory Meeting (June ) and Stock Assessment Session (Sept 6-12) The resulting growth curve predicts sizes at young and old ages that are very consistent with observed data: such as the maximum sizes observed in the catch, and the modal sizes for very young bluefin. The resulting growth curve is very similar to the curve used by ICCAT for eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin.

25 The SCRS recommended the use of this new growth curve for the 2010 assessment. This could have important implications.

BFT Data Preparatory Meeting (June ) and Stock Assessment Session (Sept 6-12) In addition to typical stock assessment activities/responsibilities, SEFSC personnel are conducting research including: Incorporation of new growth information into VPA-2Box. This requires reevaluation of: Catch-at-age Maturity-at-age function Linkage of age-specific indices Model specifications (e.g. F-Ratios, Terminal Fs) Exploration of a new approach to estimate S/R relationships Description of scientific uncertainty for WBFT and its application in precautionary management approaches (e.g. P*).

27 QUESTIONS?