Progressing Compliance-Related Outcomes from WCPFC14 

The 2018 version of the hard copy booklet that the Secretariat prepares containing CMMs relevant to observers’ work has been prepared, and will shortly be distributed to the various Regional Observer Programmes as requested.  If you need further assistance, please contact our ROP Coordinator, Karl Staisch (karl.staisch@wcpfc.int).

The Secretariat Compliance team has commenced preparations for Compliance Monitoring Scheme measure implementation in 2018.  Members, participating territories and cooperating non-members (CCMs) have been recently advised of the availability on the Annual Report Part 2 online reporting systems.

This year’s Scheme preparations duly considered the updated list of obligations approved for review in 2018.  If you need further assistance, please contact our Compliance Manager, Dr Lara Manarangi-Trott (lara.manarangi-trott@wcpfc.int) or Assistant Compliance Manager, ‘Ana F. Taholo (ana.taholo@wcpfc.int). 

Links to key Compliance information:

A suggested list of key reporting deadlines in 2018 and reporting templates can be accessed from this link [https://www.wcpfc.int/compliance-monitoring].

An e-compilation of the complete list of currently in force conservation and management measures (CMMs), including the new CMMs from WCPFC14 can be accessed from this link [http://www.wcpfc.int/conservation-and-management-measures]. 

Copies of other key documents and guidelines can be accessed from this link [https://www.wcpfc.int/guidelines-procedures-and-regulations].

Final Report on the Review of the Compliance Monitoring Scheme that can be accessed from this link [https://www.wcpfc.int/compliance-monitoring].

In addition to routine Scheme preparations, there are other activities that the Secretariat has been involved intersessionally including:

1.      Supporting the Review Panel who recently completed their Final Report on the Review of the Compliance Monitoring Scheme;

2.      Assisting the Chairs of various Intersessional Working Groups with their preparations for 2018: notably the CMS-IWG and ERandEM WG;

3.      Participating in the two IWGs that are presently underway: Comprehensive Shark CMM IWG and TCC Observer-related IWG;

4.      Planning the delivery in 2018 of Secretariat assistance in compliance/ Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) and ROP areas, in response to CCM requests or through opportune participation of Secretariat staff at upcoming regional workshops or related meetings;

5.      Planning of routine ROP audits scheduled for 2018, including the observer programmes of Japan, New Zealand, Portugal and Parties to Nauru Agreement Observer Agency;

6.      Finalising, with our IT contractors, the work plan and schedule for completing a Stage 1 implementation of high seas transshipment E-reporting before the end of 2018;  

7.      The VMS team will soon be issuing for each flag CCM supporting files of WCPFC VMS reporting status for each of their vessels over the period January and February 2018 (this will be available through each CCMs portal on the website and will be a preliminary response to the WCPFC14 VMS-reporting task to the Secretariat).  If you need further assistance, please contact our VMS Manager, Albert Carlot (albert.carlot@wcpfc.int); and

8.      Continuing discussions with our counterparts at Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT) on preparations of arrangements that are necessary to operationalize the Memorandum of Cooperation for Endorsement of WCPFC ROP Observers for observing transshipments of southern Bluefin tuna on the high seas.

Karl Staisch, Regional Observer Programme Coordinator & Lara Manarangi-Trott, Compliance Manager (Front row left) with Regional Observers Coordinators Workshop participants in front of WCPFC HQ building, Pohnpei, FSM, 5 Feb 2018.

Regional Observer Coordinators Workshop

The Regional Observers Coordinators workshop for the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) member country observer programmes (ROCW) was held in Pohnpei, FSM at the Commission Headquarters from 5 to 9 February 2018.  There were 61 participants from 18 programmes and organisations who attended the workshop, including our Regional Observer Program Coordinator and Compliance Manager.

Several items discussed included; FFA/SPC Data Consultative Committee (DCC) strategies particularly for electronic reporting and electronic monitoring, observer safety including Emergency Action Procedures (EAP’s), “Safety at Sea”, separate observer cabins on vessels, equipment, monitoring, health and observer insurance, protection of observers, observer data and the flow of this data, quality assurance of data, transshipment workbooks, observer and debriefing roles, 2018 training schedules, tagging programmes and certification of observers under the PIRFO process.

The discussion paper prepared for consideration intersessionally by the TCC Observer-related IWG was also introduced and considered. 

A summary report on the meeting is available on the SPC website at this link: http://oceanfish.spc.int/en/rocw-2014/466-17th-regional-observer-coordinators-workshop .

'Ana Taholo, Assistant Compliance Manager, Lara Manarangi-Trott, Compliance Manager & Sam Taufao, ICT Manager with 2nd Workshop of the Tuna Compliance Network participants at  FFA HQ grounds, Honiara, Solomon Islands , 15 Feb 2018.

WCPFC Participates in Tuna Compliance Network Meeting
to Review Compliance Information Management Systems

Our Compliance Manager, ICT Manager and Assistant Compliance Manager travelled to Honiara, Solomon Islands for the 2nd Workshop of the Tuna Compliance Network (TCN), held at the headquarters of the FFA from 15th to 18th February 2018.  The meeting was a valuable opportunity for meetings with our counterparts from our sister tuna Regional Fishery Management Organisations (RFMOs) in other oceans, as well as other regional fishery bodies who we have a close association in information and data management systems, including the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), the FFA, the North Pacific Fisheries Commission (NPFC), the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA), and the SPC. 

The TCN was launched in March 2017 and its aim is to facilitate communication and cooperation between officers responsible for compliance in the tuna RFMOs.  While it is focused on tuna fisheries, the Network also promotes the involvement of other relevant experts in fisheries compliance and monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS), in order to share best practice compliance processes, and ultimately, to contribute to reducing illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

At the workshop, participants exchanged information on each organization’s current information systems and discussed opportunities for their enhancement.  Participants recognized that tuna RFMOs and other similar regional organizations have a high number of reporting requirements, and that these translate into large quantities of information that need to be collected, compiled, analyzed and reported on as efficiently as possible.

Participants acknowledged that it is important to streamline the management of this information to assist each Secretariat to better support the monitoring of compliance with RFMO obligations as is envisaged under respective compliance monitoring schemes and procedures.

The workshop was convened as part of activities of the FAO Common Oceans ABNJ Tuna Project.  A press release on the workshop can be found here: http://www.fao.org/in-action/commonoceans/news/detail-events/en/c/1103425/ .

WCPFC Executive Director Feleti Teo, Science Manager SungKwon Soh & Assistant Manager Science Tony Beeching at Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction Tuna Harvest Strategy  Workshop for the western and central Pacific Ocean, Nadi, Fiji, 20 Feb 2018.

ABNJ Tuna Harvest Strategy Workshop for the Western-Central Pacific

An opportune workshop to enhance understanding of the precautionary approach, harvest strategy and management strategy evaluation for the sustainable management of tuna fisheries in the western and central Pacific Ocean was held in Nadi, Fiji, from 20 to 21 February 2018.  The workshop was part of the “Sustainable Management of Tuna Fisheries and Biodiversity Conservation in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction” (ABNJ Tuna Project).

The workshop was attended by representatives from member countries and partner agencies.  The Secretariat was represented by the Executive Director, who gave a keynote speech, and the science staff.

The workshop, facilitated by Mr. Ian Cartwright, was well organized around stimulating activities, but for many the highlight of the workshop was demonstration of the Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) tool developed by Dr Andre Punt and refined by SPC taking into account bigeye tuna biological parameters.  The software provided opportunity for participants to review realistic outcomes from given management actions.

Science Manager SungKwon Soh & Assistant Manager Science Tony Beeching at the Review Workshop on WPEA -Sustainable Management Consultancies, Bogor, Indonesia, 13 Mar 2018.

West Pacific East Asia Project (WPEA)

During January and March of this year, the science team of the Secretariat convened WPEA review workshops with the Project Partner countries - Indonesia, Philippines and Viet Nam, on the progress and outputs of several project consultancies.

On-going activities include developing guidelines on adaptive management and monitoring of tuna stocks to address climate change, establishing reference points and harvest control rules at national level, applying ecosystem approach to fisheries management to selected tuna fisheries, characterization of supply chain and certification for market-based sustainable fisheries, review of national legislation and gap analysis in line with WCPFC requirements, and national monitoring control and surveillance activities.  

The current WPEA Project will terminate in April 2019; and the WPEA Improved Tuna Monitoring Project funded by the government of New Zealand will continue to support the Partner’s fishery monitoring component.

Secretariat boat and crew at the 7th annual WCPFC sponsored fishing tournament, Pohnpei, FSM, 10 March 2018.

WCPFC in the community

The Secretariat continues to engage and involve in communal activities by providing sponsorships.

Toward the end of 2017, the Secretariat sponsored its inaugural tennis tournament involving around 60 players.

At the start of this year, financial contributions were provided towards the celebration of the annual Women International Day on March 8th and the FSM National Law Day which hosted an annual debate competition for high school students.

On the 10th March the Secretariat sponsored its 7th Annual WCPFC tournament for the Pohnpei Fishing Club.  It is the first fishing tournament of the year and anglers were excited to get on the water and do some fishing.