Status of Tuna Fisheries and Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean

Oceanic Fisheries Programme (OFP)

Overview

• Summary of fishery trends through 2011, with some indicators for 2012

• Status of the stocks–Main tuna stocks–Other stock assessments from 2012

• WCPFC (and other) responses

WCPFC Convention Area

0

400,000

800,000

1,200,000

1,600,000

2,000,000

2,400,000

2,800,000

1960

1962

1964

1966

1968

1970

1972

1974

1976

1978

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

Cat

ch (m

t)

PURSE SEINE

OTHER

POLE-AND-LINE

LONGLINE

WCP-CA Tuna Catch by Gear

WCP-CA Purse Seine Fishery

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

0

400,000

800,000

1,200,000

1,600,000

2,000,00019

60

1963

1966

1969

1972

1975

1978

1981

1984

1987

1990

1993

1996

1999

2002

2005

2008

2011

Estim

ated

Effor

t (da

ys)

Catc

h (m

t)

YELLOWFIN

SKIPJACK

BIGEYE

DAYS

PS Effort from VMS20N – 20S, excluding domestic PS effort for ID and PH

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

VMS

'fish

ing'

day

s

2009

2010

2011

2012

2011 versus 20122011

2012

La Niña

-> El Niño

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

4515

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

2005-1 2005-7 2006-1 2006-7 2007-1 2007-7 2008-1 2008-7 2009-1 2009-7 2010-1 2010-7 2011-1 2011-7 2012-1 2012-7

Trip

Leng

th (D

ays)

TUN

A CP

UE (M

T/Da

y)

TUNA CPUE (Left axis)

Logsheet Trip Length (Right axis)

VMS Trip Length (Right axis)

Trends in PS CPUE into 2012

Preliminary PS catch estimate for 2012 – 1.66 million t

WCP-CA Longline Fishery

0

2,500,000

5,000,000

7,500,000

10,000,000

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

1950

1953

1956

1959

1962

1965

1968

1971

1974

1977

1980

1983

1986

1989

1992

1995

1998

2001

2004

2007

2010

Estim

ated

Effor

t (hu

ndre

d ho

oks)

Catc

h (m

t)

BIGEYE

ALBACORE

YELLOWFIN

HHOOKS

10S

010

N20

N30

N

130E

30S

20S

130E 140E 150E

140E 150E

160E 170E 180

160E 170E 180 170W 160W 150W

170W 160W 150W 140W

140W

30S20S

10S0

10N20N

30N

WCP-CA Longline Fishery

10S

010

N20

N30

N

130E

30S

20S

130E 140E 150E

140E 150E

160E 170E 180

160E 170E 180 170W 160W 150W

170W 160W 150W 140W

140W

30S20S

10S0

10N20N

30N

WCP-CA Longline Fishery

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

CPU

E (k

g/10

0 ho

oks)

Yellowfin

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

CPU

E (k

g/10

0 ho

oks)

Bigeye

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

CPU

E (k

g/10

0 ho

oks)

Albacore

WCP-CA Longline Fishery

Status of Stocks Summary

Main tunas

Skipjack • Approximately 1.6 million tonnes in

2010, dominated by purse seine, reduction in 2011, record catch likely in 2012

• Stock decreasing slowly – now about 50% depletion from unexploited level

• Current catches now about MSY• Outlook: stock falling to near MSY

level, 25% of unexploited level

0

2,000,000

4,000,000

6,000,000

8,000,000

1972

1976

1980

1984

1988

1992

1996

2000

2004

2008

Adul

t bio

mas

s (t

onne

s)

0

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

1,400,000

1,600,000

1,800,000

2,000,000

1950

1955

1960

1965

1970

1975

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

Catc

h (t

onne

s)

Other

Purse seine

Pole-and-line

Longline

Yellowfin• Catch plateaued since late 1990s

in spite of increasing PS and LL effort

• Full exploitation potential of yellowfin has been reached

• Stock has decreased steadily• Now approaching 60% depletion

from unexploited level

0

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2,500,000

3,000,000

3,500,000

4,000,000

1952

1956

1960

1964

1968

1972

1976

1980

1984

1988

1992

1996

2000

2004

2008

Adul

t bio

mas

s (t

onne

s)

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

700,000

1950

1955

1960

1965

1970

1975

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

Catc

h (t

onne

s)

Other

Purse seine

Pole-and-line

Longline

Bigeye• Catch has levelled out over past 10

years• Mainly longline catch of adults• Recent increase in purse seine

catch with FAD introduction• Biomass has declined steadily• Very high level of depletion,

approaching 80%• Issues with assessment indicating

increased productivity post-19800

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

1,400,000

1952

1956

1960

1964

1968

1972

1976

1980

1984

1988

1992

1996

2000

2004

2008

Adul

t bio

mas

s (t

onne

s)

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

180,000

200,000

1950

1955

1960

1965

1970

1975

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

Catc

h (t

onne

s)

Other

Purse seine

Pole-and-line

Longline

South Pacific Albacore• Fishery is mainly longline,

catching adult albacore• Catch has doubled since 1995,

30% increase in 2010 over 2009• Biomass has declined steadily

since mid-1960s• Stock depletion due to fishing is

~ 30%• current catches approaching MSY

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

80,000

90,000

1950

1954

1958

1962

1966

1970

1974

1978

1982

1986

1990

1994

1998

2002

2006

2010

Catc

h (t

onne

s)

Other

Troll

Longline

Driftnet

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

700,000

1961

1965

1969

1973

1977

1981

1985

1989

1993

1997

2001

2005

2009

Adul

t bio

mas

s (t

onne

s)

Stock Status Overview

• All four stocks at or near their lowest observed biomass level

Stock Status Overview

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 20100

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

AlbacoreBigeyeSkipjackYellowfin

% re

ducti

on fr

om u

nexp

loite

d

Other Species

• Southwest Pacific striped marlin– Close to MSY in terms of fishing

mortality and biomass• Oceanic whitetip shark

– Strongly overfished, spawning biomass <10% of unexploited level

• Silky shark– Some uncertainties, but probably

overfished with overfishing continuing

WCPFC Responses

• Tropical tuna CMM (interim measures for 2013)– PS effort limited to:

• 2010 levels for PNA EEZs collectively• 2010 or 2001-2004 average for other EEZs with >1,000

days PS effort annually in 2006-2010• Other EEZs – self-nominated effort or catch limits• No increase in effort on the high seas

– FAD closure (3 mo) + 1 mo additional closure or limits on FAD set numbers by flag

– Longline bigeye catch limits for DWFNs

WCPFC Responses

• South Pacific Albacore CMM (2010)– No increase in vessels targeting albacore south of

20⁰S from 2005 or 2000-2004 average levels– SPC members working in a FFA process on

comprehensive zone-based catch limits, but agreement has stalled

WCPFC Responses

• Oceanic Whitetip CMM– No retention or landing, including fins– Live release where possible

• Whale Shark CMM– Prohibition of deliberate PS setting on schools

associated with whale sharks– Where inadvertent setting occurs, take all steps to

ensure safe release