What Is Scientific Data Submission?
Scientific data submission is the process by which researchers, national agencies, or observer programs send their fisheries-related information to the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC). This data helps scientists and managers understand how much fish is caught, where fishing is happening, and how healthy different fish stocks are. By sharing accurate data, everyone works together to keep fisheries sustainable and protect ocean ecosystems.
Why It Matters:
- Informed Decisions: Data lets decision-makers know if a fish species is overfished or healthy.
- Monitoring Trends: Tracking catches and effort over time helps spot changes early.
- Transparency: Publicly shared data builds trust among coastal communities, fishing industries, and conservation groups.
Common Types of Fisheries Data:
- Catch and Effort Data: Information on how many fish are caught and how much effort (e.g., days at sea) was needed.
- Size Data: Measurements of fish length or weight to understand population structure.
- Observer Data: Reports from observers on board fishing vessels, including bycatch, gear used, and interactions with non-target species.
- Annual Reports: Summaries of national or regional research and statistics that are shared with WCPFC each year.
Data Submission Requirements
The following list shows the types of documents and datasets that each Member or cooperating non-Member must submit. All links are active and lead directly to the official templates, standards, or background information.
- Scientific Data to Be Provided to the Commission:
Download the detailed requirements for scientific data submission - Regional Observer Programme (ROP) Data:
- Annual Report Part 1 Template:
Download the Part 1 template required for Scientific Committee meetings, Download the Part 1 template required for Scientific Committee meetings - Standards, Specifications and Procedures (SSPs) for Electronic Reporting:
Download the SSPs for operational catch/effort and observer data
Status of Data Provided to the Commission
These resources describe which data have already been submitted and highlight any gaps. They were presented at the 19th Scientific Committee (SC19) meeting in August 2023.
- WCPFC Scientific Data Gaps Paper (SC19 – August 2023) – This document covers:
- Annual catch estimates
- Aggregated catch/effort data
- Operational catch/effort data
- Size data
- Regional Observer Programme (ROP) Data Coverage Tables (SC19 – August 2023) – These tables cover:
- Purse seine observer data
- Longline observer data
Public Science Data
WCPFC Data Catalogue
How Is This Data Shared?
Data is shared under strict rules to protect sensitive information, based on the Rules and Procedures for the Protection, Access to, and Dissemination of Data (RAP).
What Is the WCPFC Data Catalogue?
The catalogue provides downloadable summaries and detailed data organized by gear type, species, and region. It helps users understand what data is available. This catalogue will be updated over time.
Click here to access the Data Catalog.
Public Domain Aggregated Catch/Effort Data
Catch and effort data records how much fish is caught and how much fishing activity was required. It's vital for monitoring fish stocks and ensuring sustainable practices in the Pacific Ocean.
The data is provided by WCPFC Members and Cooperating Non-members (CNMs) and includes operational, aggregate, and annual catch estimates.
WCPFC makes a version of this data available publicly, following the Rules and Procedures for the Protection, Access to, and Dissemination of Data Compiled by the Commission (RAP).
Data Protection and Filtering
According to RAP Paragraph 9, public domain data must represent at least three vessels. If this condition can't be verified, data likely representing only two or fewer vessels has been excluded.
Details about removed data are available in the documentation for longline and purse seine public domain files.
Note on Longline Shark Data: These are uncertain and reflect better reporting, not actual catch trends.
Note on Data for Indonesia, Philippines, and Vietnam: Historical time series are not available. Their annual catch estimates have been disaggregated for inclusion.
Recent Data: Catch and effort figures for the latest year are provisional, especially for longline fisheries, and may be updated in future submissions.
Click here to access the catch and effort data.
Public Aggregated Size (Length) Data
The WCPFC also provides public versions of fish length (size) data collected from members and partners. This helps monitor fish growth and stock health.
Public Bycatch Data (BDEP)
Using the Bycatch Data Exchange Protocol (BDEP), this section includes:
- Aggregated bycatch tables
- Related fishing effort
- Observer-collected data
Bycatch refers to the unintended capture of non-target species such as turtles, sharks, or seabirds.
Bycatch Estimates
These are purse seine bycatch estimates presented in a more accessible format, based on SC17-ST-IP-06 (Tables 6 to 9).
Tuna Fishery Yearbook
The WCPFC Tuna Fishery Yearbook provides annual estimates of tuna and billfish catches in the WCPFC Statistical Area from 1970 to 2023.
Data from 1950–1969 are available on the WCPFC website upon request.
Which Species Are Covered?
The Yearbook includes data for:
- Tuna: Albacore, Bigeye, Skipjack, Yellowfin
- Billfish: Black Marlin, Blue Marlin, Striped Marlin, Swordfish
- Sharks (in longline tables): Blue, Silky, Oceanic Whitetip, and Mako Sharks
How Is the Data Collected?
- Logsheet reports from member fleets
- Observer data collected at sea
- Models adjusting for misreporting and bias
Main fishing methods: Longline, Pole-and-line, Purse Seine, Troll.
Chartered vessels are included based on the Charter Notification CMM-2021-04.
What Do the Tables Show?
- Catches by fleet, species, and gear type
- Summaries by ocean region (WCPO, EPO, North/South Pacific)
- Trends over time, visualized in bar charts
- Maps available via the ACE Tables (where three or more vessels are active)
Fleets not shown in recent years likely ceased operations.
Data Quality Notes
Purse Seine Catch Estimates
Observer-based species composition corrections show underreporting of yellowfin and bigeye as skipjack. These corrections (e.g. Peatman et al. 2019) are now the official estimates.
Original logsheet estimates appear in grey italics.
Longline Shark Estimates
Catch estimates for sharks are still uncertain due to underreporting and limited observer coverage. These also appear in grey italics.
Discard Estimates
Discards by weight are included from 2017 onward. Discards by number are still under development.
Download Reports
WCPFC Tuna Fishery Yearbook 2024 (17.8 MB)
Explore the Data Online
You can interact with the catch estimates and filter data by fleet, species, gear, or year using our ACE online query interface. This tool allows registered users to search and download public-domain catch data.
Click here to access the ACE online query interface which is hosted by SPC.