69. This component of the Workshop was intended to train participants to utilize improved approaches and techniques for conducting cost effective and sustainable, sample-based fishery surveys, and analysing the data collected. Participants used the FAO Fisheries Technical Paper 425: Sample-based fishery surveys: A technical handbook, as the basic document for discussion and exchange of views. Some of the topics discussed included: Utility of Fishery Data, Concepts in Estimating Catch, Concepts in Estimating Effort, General Sampling Considerations, Surveys for Basic Fishery Data, Active Days Surveys, Frame Surveys, Boat Activity Surveys, Landing Surveys, Data Processing, Data Storage and Dissemination. The computer software ARTFISH was used to present and discuss case studies. Mr Constantine Stamatopolous, Senior Fishery Data Officer, FAO, was the lead presenter for this section of the Workshop.
70. As part of the contribution to the discussion on Sample-based Fishery Surveys, the representative from Jamaica, Ms Avery Galbraith, Senior Fisheries Officer, made a presentation of a Case Study on the Marine Fishery Census of Jamaica 1998. The Census was undertaken by the Fisheries Division, Ministry of Agriculture, and the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN), with technical assistance from the CARICOM Fisheries Resource Assessment and Management Programme (CFRAMP). The objectives were to count all fishing vessels by gear at each landing site, and to validate the vessel and owner/captain data stored in the Licensing and Registration System.
71. The Census was divided into four phases, with phase one addressing the initial planning phase during which the project concept and methodology was developed. Phase two addressed the development of questionnaires and an interviewer's instruction manual. Phase three addressed pre-testing of the questionnaires, training of field workers and supervisors, and implementation of the census in the field; while phase four dealt with data entry, analysis, and reporting. Based on the outcome of the census, recommendations were made for the refinement of the data collection and management system for the marine capture fishery of Jamaica.
72. Following the presentations and discussions on sample-based fishery surveys, participants identified and further discussed data collection and analysis issues relating to the following: multiple fishing gears, migration of fishing units, multiple landings by the same fishing unit; outdated frame surveys; alteration of fishing gear performance; impact of FADS and stratification of fishing areas.
