29th Session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly15 – 17 June, 2015, Suva, Fiji

Presentation on WCPO Tuna Fisheries

Feleti P TeoExecutive Director

Scope of Presentation

Overview of the WCPFC

Status of the WCPO tuna stocks

Challenges in managing the stocks

Management and compliance

efforts

Conclusions

WCPFC Offices Kolonia, Federated States of Micronesia

OVERVIEW OF THE WCPFC

Establishment of the WCPFC

1982 – UNCLOS adopted•1994 – FFA called MHLC on South Pacific Tuna • Fisheries, Honiara1995 – UNFSA adopted•2000 – WCPF Convention adopted•2004 – Convention entered into force•

Objective of the WCPFC

To ensure, through effective management, the long-term conservation and sustainable use of HMFS in the WCPO in accordance with UNCLOS and UNFSA.

Key Functions

Article 10 articulates 15 key functions for the WCPFC to develop governance of both fisheries and fishery resources within its mandate, including:

Determination of TAC and TAE;Data collection;Scientific research and stock assessments to provide scientific advice to the Commissioners;Develop CMMs;Monitoring compliance and surveillance.

Five Tuna RFMOs

WCPFC Convention Area

0

20N

20S

60S180

150W

130W

141E

Membership

26 Members

(FFA) Australia, Cook, FSM, Fiji, Kiribati, RMI, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Palau, PNG, Samoa, Solomon, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.

(Non-FFA) Canada, China, EU, France, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Chinese Taipei, USA

7 Territories

A. Samoa, CNMI, F. Polynesia, Guam, New Caledonia, Tokelau, Wallis and Futuna

7 Cooperating Non-Members

Ecuador, El Salvador, Liberia, Mexico, Panama, Thailand and Vietnam.

25 Observers

STATUS OF TUNA STOCKS

WCP 2014 catches

Skipjack TunaKatsuwonus pelamis

Yellowfin TunaThunnus albacares

Bigeye TunaThunnus obesus

Albacore TunaThunnus alalunga

68%

21%

5%

6%

2014 WCPO Tuna Production (by gear)

Gear %

Purse Seine 74

Longline 9

Poll-and-line 7

Others (Troll, ID, PH) 10

6182 Vessels on WCPFC RFV (as at 18 May 2015)

817

3665

1084

616

Other – pole and line, trollers, support vessels, harpooners, research vessels

Longliners, including tuna longlinersand freezer longliners

Purse seiners, including tuna purse seiners

Carriers and bunkers

http://www.wcpfc.int/vessels

283 in good standing with

FFA

Approx 230 are registered

on the PNA VDS register¼ are presently flagged to ◦Pacific Island countries

817 purse seine vessels on WCPFC RFV (as at 18 May 2015)

817

6182

In 2014, 1517 longliners

reported to the WCPFC VMS746 are in good standing with FFA◦

10% were flagged to Pacific ◦Islands countries or territories

3665 longline vessels on WCPFC RFV (as at 18 May 2015)

3665

6182

WCPFC’s Recent Stock Assessments

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Bigeye

tuna

(WCPO) SA SA Update

(Pacific-wide) Update

Yellowfin tuna SA SA

Skipjack tuna SA SA

South Pacific (SP) albacore SA SA

North Pacific (NP) albacore SA SA

Pacific bluefin tuna SA SA

SP swordfish SA

NP swordfish SA

SP striped marlin SA

NP striped marlin SA

Pacific blue marlin SA

Oceanic whitetip shark SA

Silky shark SA SA

NP blue shark SA SA

NP mako shark SA

2014 management advice (SC10)

Skipjack TunaKatusuwonus pelamis

Yellowfin TunaThunnus albacares

Bigeye TunaThunnus obesus

Overfished: Fishing mortality be

reduced

No further increase in catches

Avoid further increase in fishing mortality,

keep stock at current levels

Summary of Scientific Advice

Stabilize/maintain/no increase

Rebuild stock / reduce catch

Skipjack tuna•Yellowfin tuna•Albacore tuna•SW Pacific swordfish•Pacific-wide Blue marlin•

Bigeye tuna•Pacific bluefin tuna•SW Pacific striped marlin•WCNP striped marlin•Silky shark•Oceanic whitetip shark•

CHALLENGES IN MANAGING THE WCPO STOCKS

Key Challenges

Multi-stocks1.Multi-gear2.Data collection3.Coastal states v Flag states 4.SIDS v Developed5.Compliance 6.

Management Measures

Purse seine measures 1.Longline measures2.

Purse seine measures CMM 2014-01 / CMM 2009-02

FAD closure (3 – 4 month)•Annual FAD limits (for some CCMs)•Purse Seine catch retention•100% observer coverage•Limit on LSPSVs (except SIDS and Indonesia)•

EEZ limits (PNA VDS + others)High Seas (interim flag limits)

Longline measures – flag-based with SIDS exemption CMM 2014-01

Flag based bigeye catch limits with •monthly reporting for some(with SIDS exemption)

Yellowfin limits to be agreed in 2014•

Limits on longline vessel numbers •targetting bigeye

(with SIDS and Indonesia exemption)

Compliance Measures

Compliance tools

Record of Fishing Vessels1.Commission VMS 2.Regional Observer Programme3.High Seas Boarding and Inspection scheme4.WCPFC IUU List5.Compliance monitoring scheme 6.

Conclusion and Take Home Messages

Bigeye and Pacific Bluefin tunas overfished.1.Catch levels continue to increase.2.Need to review fishing capacity.3.Establish a harvest strategy framework - target 4.reference points.SIDS special requirements 5.Need for a robust MCS scheme. 6.

Thank you…