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Project H.7.c - Participate in south Pacific albacore assessment

01 Jan 2021 - 31 Dec 2021

Ongoing
Program(s) in charge: Stock Assessment Program
Funded
Objectives
  • Staff participation in development and improvement of the south Pacific albacore assessment
  • Understand the assessment results, and communicate them to the Commission
Background
  • The assessment is for albacore in the south Pacific that are covered by both the IATTC and WCPFC
  • The IATTC staff provides data and advice for the assessment
Relevance for management
The IATTC uses the results of the assessment to provide management advice
Duration
Ongoing
Workplan and status
See WCPFC website for details
External collaborators
SPC
Deliverables
Report to SAC meetings
Updated date: 01 May 2022
Progress summary for the reporting period
  • January 2021: Attend the SPC stock assessment meetings for south Pacific albacore
  • March 2021: Made a presentation in the SPC pre-assessment workshop (PAW) on the fishery stratification for albacore in the southern EPO
  • August 2021: Presented the assessment results in SPC’s 17th regular session of the scientific committee
  • May 2022: Present the assessment results in SAC-13
Challenges and key lessons learnt
  • Movement scenario is the largest axis of uncertainty in the south Pacific albacore assessment
  • The south Pacific albacore stock is healthy and the recent fishing mortality was much lower than the fishing mortality corresponding to MSY
  • Spawning biomass decreased fast in recent years due likely to high longline catch
  • The stock should be monitored in the future through for example stock status indicators and conduct another benchmark assessment in 3 or 4 years
Comments
The stock assessment report can be found here