June 2019 No Images? Click here Newsletter of the Western & Central Pacific Fisheries Commission Secretariat for members, participating territories and observers.
Executive Director, Feleti Penitala Teo Welcome to the second edition of the Secretariat’s Quarterly for 2019, the e-newsletter that provides updates on news on the Commission and the work of the Commission Secretariat. It is the middle of 2019 already and the second half of the year looms large as the Commission members ready themselves for the onflow of Commission meetings all scheduled for the remainder of the year. The Scientific Committee meeting (SC15) is in August in Pohnpei, FSM, followed by the Northern Committee meeting (NC15) in September in Portland, USA; then the Technical Compliance Committee meeting (TCC15) in the same month in Pohnpei, FSM; and culminating with the annual WCPFC16 meeting in Port Moresby, PNG, from 5 to 11 December 2019. Except for the WCPFC16 meeting, the meeting notices for the meetings of the three subsidiary bodies have been published, advising members and observers and other stakeholders of the meeting arrangements. Preparations for those meetings are well and truly underway and they will intensify as the meeting dates nearer. In the last couple of months, there have been some movements in staff at the Secretariat. In May we farewelled Mr Samuelu (Sam) Taufao, the ICT Manager, who has been with the Secretariat for the last eleven (11) years. Sam was the inaugural ICT Manager who was responsible for setting up the ICT structure that the Commission continues to enjoy today. Sam left the Secretariat to take up a project management role in an ICT project in the Solomon Islands . Also leaving the Secretariat in early July is Mr Anthony (Tony) Beeching, the Assistant Science Manager. Tony has been with the Secretariat for the last eight (8) years and he has been a key personality in the Scientific Committee meetings and was also responsible for the oversight of many science projects. He was also the key staff responsible for the routine management of the Japan Trust Fund. So, in a matter of two months the Secretariat loses 19 years of combine corporate knowledge of working at the Secretariat. The Secretariat and the Commission members wish both Sam and Tony the very best in their future endeavors and register their gratitude and appreciation for the excellent services rendered. (Left) Outgoing ICT Manager, Samuelu Taufao, Pohnpei, FSM, 10 Feb 2019. (Right) Outgoing Assistant Manager Science, Anthony Beeching, Pohnpei, FSM, 10 Feb 2019. On a brighter note, the Secretariat welcomed a new support staff Mr Joseph Jack who was recently appointed to fill the vacant position of VMS Support Officer. Joseph is not new to the Secretariat as he did serve previously as a Regional Observer Programme Data Control Technician before he joined the MRAG office in Pohnpei, and now he is back with the Secretariat. We look forward to working with Joseph in his support role to the VMS Manager. VMS Support Officer, Joseph Jack, WCPFC Headquarters, Pohnpei, FSM, 27 Jun 2019. In this quarter the Secretariat attended the annual meetings of regional and sub-regional groups, namely Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) and the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA), respectively. The PNA Ministerial meeting was held in Koror, Palau, the last week of May and the Executive Director represented the WCPFC. The Forum Fisheries Committee (FFC) ministerial meeting was held in Pohnpei, FSM, in June and it coincided with the Commission’s 15th year of establishment that fell on 19th June 2019. The Secretariat had the rare privilege to host FFA ministers and delegates to a reception held in their honor at the WCPFC headquarters and commemorating the 15th year of establishment of the Commission. Dinner reception in honor of FFA Ministers who attended the 16th FFC Ministerial Meeting and celebrating the 15th year of establishment of the WCPFC, WCPFC Headquarters, Pohnpei, FM, 19 Jun 2019.
The WPEA Project Update The Global Environment Facility funded component of the WPEA Project entitled the Sustainable Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the West Pacific and East Asian Seas (WPEA-SM), which was implemented over the last five (5) years, ended formally on 27 April of this year. The project covered three countries namely Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam. The project team is now compiling the project outcomes and awaiting the terminal evaluation for the project. One of the last activities of the WPEA-SM project was the convening of the 6th Sub-regional WPEA-SM workshop with the three participating countries in Nha Trang, Vietnam, from 23 to 26 April. The goal of the three-country workshop was to exchange views on quantitative assessment of tuna resources at national and sub-regional level and assessing the feasibility of applying a harvest strategy framework to national level tuna management. Over 30 participants attended the workshop from government agencies, universities, and NGOs of the three countries, and Dr Graham Pilling from SPC assisted with the conduct of the workshop. Science Manager, SungKwon Soh with participants at the 6th WPEA-SM Sub-Regional Workshop, Nha Trang, Vietnam, 23 Apr 2019. The New Zealand funded component of the WPEA Project entitled the Western Pacific East Asia Improved Tuna Monitoring (WPEA-ITM) continued to make progress with its full implementation by the recent signing of the MOU with the Philippines. Unfortunately, the Project Manager Mr Dale Withington left in June to take up another job with the USA Peace Corps and the Secretariat is in the process of recruiting his replacement. In Dale’s absence, the Secretariat through the Science Manager, Dr SungKwon Soh will take on the routine roles of the Project Manager. 2019 Stock Assessment Preparatory Workshop The Pacific Community (SPC) - Oceanic Fisheries Programme convened a Preparatory Workshop for the 2019 Stock Assessments at the Pacific Community Headquarters in Noumea, from 2 to 5 April. Over 20 participants from fifteen organizations attended the workshop and key issues considered at the workshop related to operational Catch per Unit Effort (CPUE) data analyses; stock assessment processes for skipjack tuna, Southwest Pacific striped marlin and oceanic whitetip shark; bigeye and yellowfin tuna growth and aging; harvest strategy and technical development of the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) management strategy evaluation; and developments in the MULTIFAN-CL software. The workshop report is now posted at SC15 website: https://www.wcpfc.int/node/42295. The Secretariat was represented at the workshop by the Science Manager. The ISC Management Strategy Evaluation Workshop The International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-Like Species in the North Pacific Ocean (ISC) convened the 2nd Pacific Bluefin Tuna Management Strategy Evaluation (PBF MSE) Workshop in San Diego, CA, U.S.A., 20 – 21 May 2019. The workshop was attended by over 60 participants from government agencies, institutes, industries and NGOs. The goal and expectations of the workshop was to enhance the understanding of stakeholders on MSE and promote their involvement, and further develop the discussion of PBF MSE based on the results of the 1st Workshop and ISC's work thereafter. The summary of the workshop will be reported to the 4th Joint Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission and WCPFC-NC Joint Working Group Meeting in September for further discussion of the development of MSE of Pacific bluefin tuna. The Compliance and MCS Programme Update Preparations are well underway and will intensify for the development of the draft Compliance Monitoring Report as the deadline of Thursday, 1 August 2019 approaches. The content for the Fished and Did Not Fish Report & Annual Report Part 2 are due by Monday, 1 July 2019 and Annual Report Part 1 is due by Monday, 8 July 2019. The Secretariat has been periodically sending individual and collective reminders to members, participating territories and cooperating non-members (CCMs), and thanks those who have provided early submissions. If further assistance is needed with annual reporting and draft CMR reporting, please contact the Assistant Compliance Manager, Ms ‘Ana F. Taholo at ana.taholo@wcpfc.int. The Secretariat is working to deliver a second round of updates to the online Compliance Case File system based on the latest WCPFC ROP observer data in July – a circular will be sent advising CCMs once completed. The Secretariat regularly reviews the updates on investigations that CCMs enter into the online Compliance Case File system. If further assistance is needed with the online Compliance Case File System, please contact the Compliance Manager, Dr Lara Manarangi-Trott at lara.manarangi-trott@wcpfc.int. Flag CCM supporting files of WCPFC Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) reporting status for each of their vessels continue to be periodically posted to each CCMs portal on the website. Alongside this Secretariat VMS team is actively working with the IT contractors, to implement an automated IT solution to support the generation of VMS reporting status supporting files for each CCM. If further assistance is needed, please contact our VMS Manager, Mr Albert Carlot (albert.carlot@wcpfc.int) WCPFC SUPPORTS PHILIPPINES NATIONAL OBSERVER TRAINING The Secretariat Observer Programme Coordinator, Karl Staisch attended a training session in Navotas, Philippine for a few days in May 2019 and assisted in training 30 Philippine participants on data collection, conduct and other operational aspects of being a successful observer. All 30 students were successful in passing the 5-week training course and will be used in the Philippine national and international observer programmes. This was the 19th training course run by the Philippines since they undertook in 2011 to have a proper organised and structured observer programme. The programme uses the SPC data forms and formats for collecting information and the Philippine observers are used both domestically and in monitoring vessels that fish on the high seas. The Regional Observer Programme audits planned for the remainder of the year, include the observer programmes of Solomon Islands, FFA, Australia and New Caledonia. For ROP-related matters please contact our ROP Coordinator, Mr Karl Staisch at karl.staisch@wcpfc.int. ROP Coordinator, Karl Staisch with participants of Observer Training, Navotas, Philippines, May 2019. TCC15 Preparations on Track The Technical and Compliance Committee will be held in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia from Wednesday 25th September to Tuesday 1st October. As part of the preparations for the meeting the Compliance Manger, Dr Lara Manarangi-Trott spent a few days with the new TCC Chair, Mr Laurence Edwards II in Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands to go through related issues that culminated in the finalization and publishing of distribution of the Provisional Agenda for TCC15 and the meeting notice on the website. The TCC Chair, Mr Laurence Edwards II and Compliance Manager, Dr Lara Manarangi-Trot, New Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority office, Majuro, RMI, May 2019. WCPFC at Kiribati Offshore Fisheries Summit At the invitation of Kiribati Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources Development (MFMRD), the Assistant Compliance Manager ‘Ana Taholo attended the Offshore Fisheries Summit which took place from 21st – 22nd May 2019 on Tarawa, Kiribati. The Summit was preceded by a celebration of the World Tuna Day on 20th May 2019 with the opening ceremony hosted by the Kiribati President and with many Cabinet Members and Ministers in attendance. The theme for the Summit was “Leaping together towards sustainable fisheries for a vibrant economy of Kiribati”. ‘Ana provided a presentation to the Summit on the WCPFC Management Measures for tuna and the Compliance Monitoring Scheme. Assistant Compliance Manager, 'Ana Taholo with participants at the Kiribati Offshore Fisheries Summit, Marine Training Center, Tarawa, Kiribati, 21 May 2019. We welcome new readers to Secretariat Quarterly. Just click the subscribe button and we'll add you to the recipients list.
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