Cooperative research on interactions of Pacific tuna fisheries: FAO's project and the associated Consultations

Jacek Majkowski
Fisheries Department
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Via delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome, Italy

ABSTRACT

The objectives of the Second FAO Expert Consultation on Interaction of Pacific Tuna Fisheries held in Shimizu, Japan (23-31 January 1995) are outlined, as are the underlying philosophy and scientific challenges. The rationale for studying interactions among tuna fisheries is detailed, including the recent international developments in fisheries management. The First FAO Expert Consultation on Interaction of Pacific Tuna Fisheries was held in Noumea, New Caledonia (3-11 December 1991) with the support of FAO's Japan-funded project “Cooperative Research on Interactions of Pacific Tuna Fisheries.” That project is also described in this paper, including its objectives and the network of working groups (TUNET) that was created for collaborative research. Following the first Consultation, several studies were supported by the project and executed within the framework of the network. The outcome of these and other tuna fisheries interaction studies formed the basis for considerations during the second Consultation. The benefits to, and contributions from, developing and developed countries involved in tuna fishing in the Pacific are acknowledged.

1. INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this paper is to provide background information for the Second FAO Expert Consultation on Interactions of Pacific Tuna Fisheries, so its objectives can be considered and substantiated in a broad context of this information.

The Consultation has been sponsored by FAO's Project entitled “Cooperative Research on Interactions of Pacific Tuna Fisheries” in collaboration with regional and national institutions active in tuna research in the Pacific. The objective of the Project has been to enhance the regional and national capacity, especially of developing countries involved in tuna fishing in the Pacific for addressing scientific problems related to interactions of these fisheries. Underlying the formulation of the Project has been the understanding that research on tuna fisheries interactions should be a long-term activity, of which the Project is an integral part. The ultimate goal has been to optimize benefits from tuna fisheries.

2. SCIENTIFIC AND FISHERIES MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS

2.1 Tuna Fisheries in the Pacific and their Interactions

Tunas and tuna-like species are extremely valuable commercially, especially albacore, bigeye, northern and southern bluefin, skipjack, and yellowfin tuna. Collectively, these species are referred to as principal market tuna species. They are prized for canning, sashimi (raw fish dishes) and other products. The lesser known tuna species, however, should not be discounted because they provide considerable in-country commerce and are important sources of protein in some parts of the world. In recent years, the Pacific Ocean has become the dominant ocean for tuna landings. Between 1980 and 1991, the annual catch of tuna and tuna-like species in the Pacific increased by 68% to about 3 million metric tons (mt). The 1991 Pacific catch represented about 68% of the world's catch of these species. While these very high catches in the Pacific are impressive, some recent studies suggest that there is a potential for still higher sustainable catches of some tuna species.

The increases in the catches of Pacific tunas and tuna-like species have resulted from both intensification and expansion of existing fisheries and the development of new fisheries. These changes have led to an overlap of areas of operations of large and small-scale fisheries, as well as to a competition for the same tuna resources by large-scale fisheries using different gear. Detecting or predicting even this most direct type of interaction, however, is difficult and presents a serious research challenge. Presently, two or more tuna fisheries may be operating simultaneously on the same stock in overlapping geographical areas, targeting fish of similar sizes. In such a situation, changes in the fishing intensity or pattern of one fishery may affect the catches of the other fisheries. A further factor in tuna fisheries interactions is the ability of many tuna species to undertake rapid, long distance movements or migrations across or even between oceans. Under these circumstances, fisheries operating in different exclusive economic zones and on the high seas may significantly affect each other.

A further information on tuna fisheries in the Pacific, a potential for their interactions as well as on the status of the associated tuna stocks can be found in FAO Fisheries Technical Papers 335, 336/1, 336/2 and 337.

2.2 Fisheries Management and Requirements for Scientific Advice

The knowledge of fisheries interactions is essential for rational management of fisheries. The principal market tuna species and many tuna-like species are recognized by the United Nations Convention for the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as highly migratory. Recently, considerable attention has been directed to the need for rational management of fisheries for highly migratory species and resources that straddle adjacent exclusive economic zones (EEZs). Such management would enhance economic and social benefits to the countries involved in fishing, processing and trade of these resources. Presently, small-scale tuna fisheries exist in many developing countries in the Pacific, and many of these fisheries operate in the same areas as the large industrial tuna fisheries (purse seine, pole and line and longline).

From 6-8 May 1992, the International Conference on Responsible Fishing was held in Cancun, Mexico, leading to the Cancun Declaration. From 7-15 September 1992, FAO organized the Technical Consultation on High Seas Fishing held in Rome, Italy, to consider technical issues related to such fishing. As a consequence of these meetings, FAO has been involved in addressing the issue of flag of convenience. These discussions have resulted in the establishment of the Agreement to Promote Compliance with International Conservation and Management Measures by Fishing Vessels on the High Seas. The issue of flag of convenience is of major relevance to tuna fisheries and their management because many tuna vessels use such flags of convenience to avoid restrictive measures imposed by certain countries.

In a broader context, fisheries issues were considered at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 3-14 June 1993. The outcome of this Conference is relevant to fisheries directed at tuna and tuna-like species. The Programme of Action on Environment and Development (referred to as Agenda 21 or the Rio Declaration) and the two Conventions on Biodiversity and Climate Change are now open for ratification. These initiatives represent an important commitment at the highest national political level to resolve a wide range of problems associated with rational use of marine resources.

In response to the pressure to address problems caused by unregulated fishing on high seas, Sessions of the United Nations Conference on Straddling Stocks and Highly Migratory Species were held in New York in July 1993, 14-31 March 1994 and 15-25 August 1994. A Further Session of the Conference to be held next year will determine the final outcome of the Conference. The relevance of the Conference for tuna fisheries management and requirements for research and advice, especially related to problems of tuna fisheries interactions is a subject of separate paper to be presented at the Consultation.

FAO also actively participates in the development of an International Code of Conduct of Responsible Fishing, which will apply to both the high seas and exclusive economic zones. The Code is being formulated on the basis of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It takes into account the 1992 Declaration of Cancun, the Strategy endorsed by the 1984 FAO World Conference on Fisheries Management and Development, the provisions of Agenda 21 of UNCED, the conclusions and recommendations of the 1992 Technical Consultation on High Seas Fishing and the outcome of the UN Conference on Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks. The draft Code consists of:

· four introductory articles (Nature and Scope, Objectives, Relationship with Other International Instruments and Implementation, Monitoring and Updating),

· General Principles, and

· six thematic chapters/articles (Fisheries Management, Fishing Operations, Aquaculture Development, Integration of Fisheries into Coastal Area Management, Postharvest Practices and Trade and Fisheries Research).

The Technical Consultation on the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fishing was held in Rome from 26 September to 5 October 1994. On the basis of the material provided by the Technical Consultation, FAO is preparing a revised version of the draft Code, which will be presented to all FAO regional fisheries bodies and the FAO Council. In March 1995, the draft will be submitted to the next Session of FAO's Committee on Fisheries for further technical review and to the FAO Council and Conference in the same year. The draft will be harmonized with the outcome of the UN Conference on Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Species. This will be done through a mechanism to be decided by FAO's Committee on Fisheries and FAO's Council. Then, the draft Code will be considered at the 28th Session of the FAO Conference in November 1995.

According to UNCLOS, fisheries management needs to be based on the best available scientific information. The recent attention directed to fisheries management of highly migratory and high seas resources has pointed out the need for scientific information on interactions of fisheries directed at tuna and tuna-like species. This need has also become evident at recent regional and international meetings of fisheries scientists and administrators.

In the Pacific, where most catch of tuna and tuna-like species is taken, there is an additional urgent need to integrate available information and to coordinate fisheries research. The Pacific is the only ocean where there is neither a single fisheries body nor a technical programme directed to tuna and tuna-like species that encompass the entire Ocean. Some of the Pacific stocks of tuna and tuna-like species are only partly covered by existing fisheries bodies and programmes in terms of their areas of distribution. This situation has promoted FAO to initiate a project “Cooperative Research on Interactions of Pacific Tuna Fisheries.”

3. OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT

The execution of the Project has been possible due to a very close collaboration of many countries, their regional and national institutions and their scientists, especially in the Pacific region. Japan has financed the Project under the FAO Trust Fund arrangement. FAO has executed the Project, providing supplementary funds as well as organizational and research support. The collaborating institutions have or had included:

· Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO, Australia),
· FAO/UNDP Regional Fisheries Support Programme,
· Fisheries Research Center (New Zealand),
· Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC),
· FAO/UNDP Indo-Pacific Tuna Programme (IPTP),
· National Marine Fisheries Service (USA),
· National Research Institute of Far Seas Fisheries (Japan),
· Office de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique Outre-Mer (ORSTOM), and
· South Pacific Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA).

TUNET, a network of ten Working Groups has been established by FAO to implement the Project. This reflects the need for the involvement of scientists from many countries in addressing scientific problems of tuna fisheries interactions. The topics of the Working Groups have been:

· Methods for Studying Tuna Fisheries Interactions,
· Interactions of Pacific Skipjack Fisheries,
· Interactions of Western Pacific Yellowfin Tuna Fisheries,
· Interactions of Eastern Pacific Yellowfin Tuna Fisheries,
· Interactions of South Pacific Albacore Fisheries,
· Interactions of North Pacific Albacore Fisheries,
· Interactions of Pacific Bigeye Tuna Fisheries,
· Interactions of North Pacific Bluefin Tuna Fisheries,
· Interactions of Southern Bluefin Tuna Fisheries, and
· Interactions of Pacific Small Tuna Fisheries.

Information on the Project's implementation is distributed to through Circular Letters to TUNET Members. The distribution list for these Letters includes 147 fisheries scientists and some administrators from the whole world, 47% of the recipients being from developing countries and international organisations. So far, 23 Circular Letters have been prepared and distributed through air mail and e-mail. The Project has promoted the use of e-mail to distribute information and data and to facilitate the deliberations of the Working Groups. Now, of the all recipients of Circular Letters, 69 have access to e-mail.

In the first year of operation (1991-92), the Project was administered from the FAO/UNDP Regional Fishery Support Programme in Suva, Fiji, but its technical activities were coordinated by the Marine Resources Service of the FAO Fisheries Department. Since the second year of operation, the FAO Headquarters has become the operational base of the Project due to the termination of the FAO/UNDP Regional Support Programme. The Operations Service of FAO Fisheries Department has been responsible for the Project from the logistic and administrative point of view and FAO's Marine Resources Service has continued to coordinate the technical activities of the Project.

4. FIRST FAO EXPERT CONSULTATION

The operation of the Project started from the collation and critical review of information on approaches or methods for studying tuna fisheries interactions and on actual interactions of Pacific tuna fisheries. That review was supplemented by the collation of more general information on tuna stocks in the Pacific and fisheries targeting them. This work as well as the formulation of research and other recommendations were completed at the First FAO Expert Consultation of Interactions of Pacific Tuna Fisheries, which was hosted in Noumea, New Caledonia, by SPC in collaboration with ORSTOM on 3-11 December 1991. The Consultation was attended by 50 scientists from 21 countries. Among them, 27 were from developing countries and international organizations.

The preparatory work to the Consultation was carried out by TUNET's Working Groups. The information assembled before and at the First FAO Consultation was documented in its Proceedings in a form of FAO Fisheries Technical Papers 336/1 and 336/2 (567 pages in total), which contain the Report of the Consultation and 35 papers including comprehensive reviews, methodological and case study papers.

Before the First Consultation, information on tuna resources, fisheries and research in the Pacific was scattered, difficult to access and not integrated. The information presented at the First Consultation demonstrated that there is a potential for interactions occurring between and among the fisheries directed at tunas and tuna-like species. Empirical evidence for such interactions, however, has been available for only few fisheries, and these interactions have been quantified for even fewer fisheries. The resolution of this problem has been a challenge to scientists in general, to the Project in particular and to the related Consultations.

5. STUDIES SPONSORED BY THE PROJECT

Following the recommendations of the First Consultation and subsequent discussions within TUNET's Working Groups, the activities of the Project focused particularly on skipjack and yellowfin tuna. They concentrate on:

· improvement of existing methods and approaches and development of new methods and approaches for studying tuna fisheries interactions, and

· examination, testing and application of methods and approaches for addressing typical tuna fisheries interaction problems occurring in the Pacific.

· very few methods have been developed for scientifically addressing problems of tuna fisheries interactions and their applicability has been mostly unknown, and

· the species selected have been most important to developing countries of the region.

Some of the specific studies sponsored by the Project include:

· a modelling of movements of skipjack tuna and resulting interactions of fisheries in the western Pacific,

· a simulation of the dynamics of tuna fleets and fisheries interactions in the eastern Pacific,

· an examination of the status of tuna stocks and interactions of tuna fisheries off the Federated States of Micronesia, off Kiribati, and off Indonesia and the Philippines, and

· a species identification of small juvenile tuna in the catches of Philippines fisheries.

6. SECOND FAO EXPERT CONSULTATION

Overview. The Second FAO Consultation on Interactions of Pacific Tuna Fisheries will be hosted in Shimizu, Japan, by the National Research Institute of Far Seas Fisheries on 23-31 January 1995. Its Objectives are to:

1) review and integrate the outcome of the studies on tuna fisheries interactions,

2) summarize the extent of tuna fisheries interactions and unresolved research problems, and

3) formulate guidelines for research on tuna fisheries interactions, concentrating on biological aspects of skipjack and yellowfin tuna in the Pacific.

Some 55 papers, including review, methodological and case study papers are expected to be presented and discussed at the Consultation. Objectives 2 and 3 will be achieved by working at the Plenary Session and in small groups. This work will be led by the Moderators appointed well in advance to the Consultation, using materials including the papers to be presented at the Consultation. The preparatory work for the Consultation should assist in achieving its objectives.

Further detailed information on the Consultation can be found in its Programme; an updated version was distributed together with Circular Letter No. 23 to TUNET Members in November 1993. This Programme includes information on the Organizing Committee, objectives, structure, organization, annotated agenda, Chairmen and Moderators of the Consultation as well as the list of papers to be presented. Information on weather conditions, transportation, hotels and excursions in Japan was distributed by the Local Organizers to all recipients of Circular Letters to TUNET Members in October 1994.

Structure and Organization. The following information is provided to Participants to facilitate more efficient and fruitful considerations of the Consultation. To place the objectives of the Consultation in a broader perspective, all facets and types of tuna fisheries interactions will be acknowledged (Agenda Item 4: “Facets and Types of Tuna Fisheries Interactions”), even those not to be considered in detail at the Consultation. Concerns related to interactions will be outlined. General requirements for fisheries management advice and research will be discussed.

As the papers to be presented at the Consultation will be dispatched to potential participants in December 1994, only their aspects of direct relevance to the Objective of the Consultation will be very briefly presented (Agenda Item 5: “Review of Studies on Tuna Fisheries Interactions”). Each presentation will be followed by specific questions, answers and observations (a conference-style session). More general considerations may be flagged during these follow-up discussions, but their full elaboration will be postponed to Agenda Items 6 to 9 (“Extent of Tuna Fisheries Interactions”, “Unresolved Research Problems” and “Guidelines for Research”, respectively).

Comparisons among the interaction problems, studies, research approaches and methods and other general observations will be made in the context of Agenda Items 6 to 9. These Agenda Items of direct relevance to the Objectives of the Consultation will be advanced by working at the Plenary Session and in small groups (a workshop-style session). This work will be arranged by the Moderators in consultation with the Organizing Committee.

Computer software related to tuna fisheries interactions will be presented in small groups (Agenda Item *: “Demonstration of Computer Software Related to Tuna Fisheries Interactions”). Specific research problems may be discussed also in small groups and reported to the Plenary Session if appropriate (Agenda Item **: “Discussion on Specific Research Problems by Small Groups of Participants, if Required”).

The Report of the Consultation is aimed at comprehensively addressing its Objectives rather than at fully or chronologically reflecting all stages of advancing them. The discussions and questions related to individual presentations will be also reflected in the Report.

To facilitate a prompt adoption of Report, Rapporteurs will submit their parts of Report to the secretariat within 24 hours from their completion after consulting their content with the relevant Moderators. Participants will be requested to communicate their suggestions for modifications directly to the Rapporteurs within 24 hours from the distribution of the first draft of Report.

The second draft of Report will be distributed in the morning of 31 January (Tuesday). In the afternoon of that day (Agenda Item 10: “Adoption of Report”), only the issues that could not be resolved directly among individual participants, the Rapporteurs and the Moderators will be allowed to be considered at the Plenary Session.

The Report of the Consultation together with the presented or tabled papers and reports, if appropriate, will be published in the Proceedings of the Consultation in the form of FAO Fisheries Technical Paper (as the Proceedings of the previous Expert Consultation on the same subject).

Challenges. As evident from the large number of papers to be presented at the Second Consultation, there should be now much more information on tuna fisheries interactions and approaches or methods for their studying than when the First Consultation was held. This information will provide substantial input for considerations aiming at achieving Objective 1 of the Second Consultation (see above).

The real challenge for the Second Consultation is to achieve Objectives 2 and 3. This challenge needs to be considered in the light of the outcome of the First Consultation regarding the extent of tuna fisheries interactions (a significant potential for interactions among many tuna fisheries, empirical evidence for few of them and even fewer quantified interactions). At that time, it was unclear whether interactions are insignificant among fisheries directed at tuna and tuna-like species or whether scientists are unable to detect these interactions. This, possibly, might be due to various changes to fisheries and resources, resulting in a too-variable background which conceals the effects of interactions. With the additional information available now and the best expertise expected to be available at the Consultation, Objectives 2 and 3 should hopefully achieved to a very significant extent. This potential outcome is very important for both developing and developed countries to enhance their capacity to scientifically address problems of tuna fisheries interactions, which is the objective of FAO's Project. Therefore, a significant portion of time, effort and resources have been allocated for achieving these objectives.

In the process of fulfilling Objective 2, the extent of suspected interactions, the empirical evidence for them and their scientific quantification will be summarized. It will be discussed whether interactions are a problem now and/or likely to be a problem in the future and if yes, in what circumstances (for what species, fishing intensity and methods, geographical areas, etc.). Types and facets of unresolved research problems critical from the view point of fisheries management will be identified to concentrate further discussions around them.

In the course of achieving Objectives 3, various approaches to studying tuna fisheries interactions will be summarized. Their assumptions and requirements for data, other input information, computational techniques and computer software and hardware will be outlined. The feasibility of their application in various circumstances will be discussed. Conditions under which they may be effective will be identified. Observations will be made on most appropriate ways of formulating and executing research programmes, recognizing the existence of various types and facets of interactions, their uniqueness in many cases and previous experiences with their examination.

In achieving Objectives 2 and 3 of the Consultation, attention will be given to likely future developments in tuna fisheries in the Pacific and their resulting future interactions. These are important considerations because, as mentioned earlier:

· some of the tuna resources in the Pacific are still significantly under-exploited,

· there are anticipated significant future developments in the Pacific fisheries, and

· tuna fisheries interactions are likely to be most pronounced for stocks exploited at nearly optimal or overfished levels.

7. BENEFITS TO DEVELOPING AND DEVELOPED COUNTRIES

FAO's Project and the associated Consultation should significantly benefit both the developing and developed countries involved in tuna fishing in the Pacific by enhancing their capacity at the regional and national level for addressing scientific problems related to tuna fisheries interactions. The membership of TUNET's Working Groups, incorporates both scientists from both developing and developed countries who study tuna fisheries interactions. Such a composition facilitates the transfer of research methodologies, information and advice from developed to developing countries as well as in the opposite direction, especially regarding the fisheries, data collection and research of the latter countries.

The First FAO Expert Consultation on Interactions of Pacific Tuna Fisheries was well attended by scientists from developing countries and international organizations working for and/or with developing countries (54% of all participants), most of whom were financially sponsored by the Project. The Consultation provided these countries as well as developed countries with comprehensive information on tuna resources and fisheries in the Pacific as well as on their interactions and methods or approaches for studying them. Previously, this information was dispersed and extremely difficult to access.

The studies sponsored by the Project are of direct relevance especially to developing countries. Scientists from these countries have been involved in their formulation and expressions of support for these studies from their governments have been received by FAO.

The Second Expert Consultation on Interactions of Pacific Tuna Fisheries is also expected to be well attended by scientists from developing countries. Most of them will be financially sponsored by the Project. In addition to up-to-date comprehensive information on tuna fisheries interactions, approaches or methods for studying them and improvement to them, the Second FAO Expert Consultation should provide developing and developed countries with guidelines on the applicability and reliability of these approaches or methods, research recommendations and information on the likely extent of tuna fisheries interactions, making generalizations on this extent if possible.

The collaboration of scientists from developed and developing countries should result in an enhanced information on fisheries and the associated data collection and other research, especially on tuna fisheries interactions, which should be now more freely available to all of them. Most newly developed methods or approaches and improvements to the existing methods and approaches to studying tuna fisheries interactions are of particular interest to developed countries. They have a readily available expertise, as well as computer hardware and software to apply these methods or approaches. However, not all of the approaches and methods require the sophisticated expertise and computer hardware and software. The Project should also result in a substantial transfer of expertise from developed to developing countries, increasing their capacity for addressing scientific problems of tuna fisheries interactions.