The need for standardization of underwater resources assessment in the Pacific sea cucumber fisheries

Kalo Pakoa, Frank Magron, Ian Bertram, Kim FriedmanCoastal Fisheries Science and Management Section, DEC Western Australia

Andre Seale

Sea cucumber fisheries - PICTs

Challenges and constraints

• Lack of or inconsistent information• Surveys design to answer specific scientific question• Inadequate geographical survey coverage • Limited capacities in surveys that inform management• Methodologies are inconsistent, lack of continuity • Incomparability of results• Confusion on methodologies and design• Limited facility to process and store information• Fisheries statistics can be complicated, daunting

Limited understanding of sea cucumber fisheries, appreciation of its importance– concern for better management

Lessons from regional comparative studies SPC PROCFish/COFish 2002-2009

• Baseline resources information 17 PICTs now available• Varying complexities of reef systems -island types in the

PICTs • 80% of species found at high densities upper 10m• Assessment this shallow provide good information• Species composition vary-assess all species• Manta tow and belt transects

Focused capacity building assistance (SCICOFish)

• On job training in-country and at SPC• Collect resource information for advice • Assessing all species and improve identification• Collect count, lengths, and weight information, fishing data,

community views• Advice from fishers on aggregations • Same methodologies, people and time across • Encourage exchange trainings• Include line agencies and NGO partners in training • Use database system to store information• Organize results into management advice

SC resource survey design

• Survey designs are based on sites• Complexity of reef system• Timing of surveys and purpose• Funding available • Capacity to use information• Several methodologies to choose from • Cost-effectively - manta tow and reef transects

SC resource survey design-example

Example: Aitutaki Is , Cook islands Objective: Training and assessment Species : lollyfish, greenfish,

surfredfish Status: un-fishedHabitat: reef flat, reef crest, back

reefNeeds: 4 sectorsMethod: reef transectPersonnel: 7 people -5 days Coverage: 12st/sector or 288 transectsInformation: species ID, size, weight Costs: sharing between CIMF and SPC

Reef transect surveys

• 40m x 1m x 6 transects per station

• 10-20 minutes per station• 0-2 meters depth• safe to use anywhere • Species ID, size, count, habitat• Simple, widely used

Manta tow surveys

• 300m x 2m transect takes • 3-10 meters with goo visibility• 10 minutes/transect • Transects group into stations• Easy to usw- need trained eyes• Cover large area of reef in short time • Broader understanding of distribution• Less expensive and safe• Used by countries

Standard record sheet for all methods

Main record

Habitat record

Data entry, verification, analysis, storage

• Reef fisheries integrated database (RFID)

• RFID in distribution to fisheries and NGO

• Trainings provided on database

• SPC maintain backup of data in Noumea

• Provided when needed

Species identification CODE Trade names Species Fijian name BTF Black teatfish Holothuria whitmaei Loloa BF Blackfish Actinopyga miliaris Dri , Driloa CF Curryfish Stichopus herrmanni Laulevu, Kari, Lakolako ni qio BCF Brown curryfish Stichopus vastus Laulevu GF Greenfish Stichopus chloronotus Greenfish , Barasi DWBF Deepwater blackfish Actinopyga palauensis Dri ni cakau PNF Peanutfish Stichopus horrens Katapila PRF Prickly redfish Thelenota ananas Sucudrau SF Sandfish Holothuria scabra Dairo STF Stonefish Actinopyga lecanora Dritabua, Drivatu SRF Surf redfish Actinopyga mauritiana Tarasea GSF Golden sandfish Holothuria lessoni Dairo kula WTF White teatfish, Holothuria fuscogilva Sucuwalu AF Amberfish Thelenota anax Basi, 4 corner BSF Brown sandfish Bohadschia vitiensis Vula CHF Chalk fish Bohadschia similis Mudra ETF Elephant trunkfish Holothuria fuscopunctata Tinani dairo, Dairo ni toba SNF Snakefish Holothuria coluber Yarabale, Samu ni uti TF Tigerfish Bohadschia argus Tiger, Vula ni cakau, Vula wadrawadra DWRF Deepwater red fish Actinopyga echinites Tarasea FF Flowerfish Pearsonothuria graeffei Senikau LF Lolly fish Holothuria atra Loliloli RLF Reef Lollyfish Holothuria atra Loli ni cakau PF Pinkfish Holothuria edulis Loli piqi LM Loli’s mother Holothuria coronopertusa Tinani loli WSF White snakefish Holothuria leucospilota ?

Species presence by site and or country

• Provide information on resources available in a fishery• Species that deserve management intervention• Recovery of lost species -management measure is working

Count of species observed

Trade nameEffective closure

Ineffective closure

fishery open

fishery open

Chalkfish 1662 17 3 0Lollyfish 1546 75 186 336Curryfish 441 0 20 45Sandfish 369 49 166 0Greenfish 185 0 4 22Pinkfish 181 6 46 31Tigerfish 180 34 6 14Snakefish 172 10 13 1Brown sandfish 130 18 3 41Peanutfish 80 1 0 0Hairy blackfish 65 0 2 5Black teatfish 43 5 0 0Red snakefish 41 0 0 0Prickly redfish 40 14 1 2Flowerfish 30 11 23 138Golden sandfish 28 2 0 0White teatfish 23 14 1 1Elephant trunkfish 13 9 3 10Surf redfish 6 0 0 0Amberfish 4 6 2 5Brown curryfish 4 0 0 0Deepwater blackfish 3 0 0 0Stonefish 1 0 1 2

all survey types, 5-10 people and 5-7 days of assessments

Species density by sites ind/ha

Trade name Species Reference densities -

ind/ha Site density -ind/haStonefish Actinopyga lecanora 10 20Surf-redfish Actinopyga mauritiana 200 150Blackfish Actinopyga miliaris 150 300Tigerfish Bohadschia argus 120 121Flowerfish Bohadschia graeffei 100 93Chalkfish Bohadschia similis 1400 2000Brownsandfish Bohadschia vitiensis 100 150Lollifish Holothuria atra 5600 10000snakefish Holothuria coluber 1100 200Pinkfish Holothuria edulis 260 260White teatfish Holothuria fuscogilva 20 2Elephant trunkfish Holothuria fuscopunctata 10 4Black teatfish Holothuria nobilis 50 37Sandfish Holothuria scabra 700 400Greenfish Stichopus chloronotus 3500 3000Curryfish Stichopus herrmanni 100 67Prickly redfish Thelenota ananas 30 40

Red – 41%; Yellow - 24%, Green - 35% 70+% above reference - good indication

Number likely present per hectare of reef

Species density by depths across PICTS

• 80% present at high densities in the upper 10m depth

• 94% present at maximum densities in the upper 10m depth

• Deeper stocks need to be preserved as breeding reservoir

Population size structure (Sandfish)

population change -fishing and management measure no take preserve breeding stocks

Stock estimation

Step 1: Assess resources status indicators

Step 2: Stocks not fully recovered - further resting proposed, more surveys

Step 3: Stocks show signs of maturity –stock estimation

Stock estimation is extrapolating densities byreef habitat area to produce stock estimate innumber and weight and certain proportion asharvestable quantity (wet and dry weights)

Progress made in PICTs

• Over 30 new assessments• Information managed at SPC• Used to advices to countries • Invertebrate manual, creel and market survey manual

Opportunity

• While we do acknowledge there are several useful ways of assessing sea cucumbers resources

• Our experience have shown that standardizing assessments is good for the region therefore SPC welcomes the opportunity to come together to continue this progress - share lessens, exchange ideas and experiences towards better informed management of sea cucumber fisheries.

• Countries are encouraged to take lead role in this effort

Questions or talk to us or email

Kalop@spc.int Frankm@spc.intIanb@spc.int

or

Friedman et al 2008. Sea cucumber fisheries: A managers tool BoxFriedman et al 2010. Management of sea cucumber stocksEriksson et al 2010. Resources status in Zanzibar, TanzaniaEriksson et al 2013. Population metrics for Curryfish, One Tree Reef, GBR

Thankyou