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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; SPC to deliver assessment results in the 2021 SC
Workplan and status
See WCPFC website for details
External collaborators
SPC
Deliverables
Report to SAC meetings
Updated date: 01 May 2024
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
  • April 2024: participate in a South Pacific Albacore assessment with emphasis on climate change
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
The stock assessment report can be found at https://meetings.wcpfc.int/node/12551
Comments
The stock assessment report can be found here