1. SESSION 4 Annual Catch Estimates Introduction/Objectives – WCPFC Obligations
Sixth Tuna Data Workshop (TDW-6) April 2012 SPC, Noumea, New Caledonia

2. 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 …

3. 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.

4. 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 …..

5. 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)

6. 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)

7. Annual Catch Estimates – WCPFC guidelines
The WCPFC guidelines for “Scientific Data to be provided to the Commission” specify exactly what is required. (
(as per slide)

8. 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:
(as per slide)

9. Annual catch estimates provided for the WCPFC Convention Area

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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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)

14. 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)

15. Provision of 2010 Annual Catch Estimates to the WCPFC
(as per slide)

16. 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 satisfies the requirement for the submission of AGGREGATE and operational LOGSHEET data to the WCPFC
(as per slide)

17. WCPFC Submissions – other data
(as per slide)
Provision of 2010 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

18. 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 (refer to the next two presentations)
Don’t forget to consider revising the estimates from years prior to if appropriate !
In any event, we are here to help you this week !
Congratulations to those who have already submitted their 2011 estimates
(as per slide)

19. (as per slide)

20. (as per slide)