Develop a workplan for restructuring IATTC’s Ecosystem Considerations into (1) an indicator-based EcoCard and (2) a complementary Ecosystem Status Assessment for the EPO

Project O.2.d - Develop a workplan for restructuring IATTC’s Ecosystem Considerations into (1) an indicator-based EcoCard and (2) a complementary Ecosystem Status Assessment for the EPO

Program(s) in charge: Ecosystem & Bycatch Program

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Theme 5. Interactions among the environment, ecosystem, and fisheries
Goal N. Improve our understanding of the interactions among environmental drivers, climate, and fisheries
Target N.1. Conduct spatiotemporal analyses to better understand the effect of key environmental drivers on the short-term fluctuations of abundance of tunas and prioritized bycatch species

Objectives

To use ongoing work by tuna-Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (t-RFMO’s) to inform a workplan to restructure the Ecosystem Considerations document into two ecosystem-advice products for management consideration (1) an Ecosystem Report Card (“EcoCard”) consisting of indicators considered to best represent ecosystem status on an ecoregion level and (2) a corresponding Ecosystem Status Assessment detailing ecosystem status. Together, these products aim to support possible operationalization of the Ecosystem Approaches to Fisheries Management (EAFM) in the EPO. To improve communication of ecosystem status and harmonize with t-RFMOs.

Background

The scope of the staff’s research has expanded as a result of increasing requests by CPCs to explicitly address ecological components of the Antigua Convention (see IATTC Strategic Science Plan (SSP), IATTC-101-02a). Due to the broadening array of ecological, environmental and fishery issues that are required to be understood to pursue EAFM of the EPO ecosystem, the length
and complexity of the Ecosystem Considerations document has increased to the extent that it is not optimal for succinctly conveying key messages. As a result, the staff aim to restructure the document—considering ongoing work by the other t-RFMOs—to provide a condensed visual snapshot of IATTC’s progress towards the pursuit of EAFM in the EPO by developing an EcoCard.

Relevance for management

Developing surveillance indicators may serve as an early warning system.
Developing operational indicators with associated performance thresholds, may be used to provide recommendations for management advice.
Together these indicators may support potential operationalization of EAFM

Duration

5 years

Workplan and status

2024: Summarize related ongoing t-RFMO work and create discussion forums to determine frameworks and elements to monitor, including a workplan (see EB-02-02)
2025: Establish criteria for (1) determining spatial units (ecoregions) and (2) developing indicators
2026–2027: Use established criteria to develop ecoregions and indicators; provide recommendations for management considerations
2028: Develop the two ecosystem-advice products and corresponding guidelines

External collaborators

Scientists supporting the other t-RFMOs, CPCs, other relevant stakeholders

Deliverables

Summary paper: current t-RFMO work on EcoCards to inform an IATTC workplan for developing an EPO EcoCard (EB-02-02) Development of two ecosystem-advice products (1) an EcoCard for the EPO ecosystem consisting of selected indicators chosen to best represent ecosystem status and (2) a complementary Ecosystem Status Assessment detailing the full suite of indicators considered for monitoring and operationalization