Trial WCPFC Annual Catch and Effort Estimates (ACE) Tables by fleet

At the WCPFC16 in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, in December 2020 the Commission in adopting the TCC15 Summary Report tasked the Secretariat and Scientific Services Provider to trial in 2020 publishing on the WCPFC website, of Annual Catch and Effort (ACE) tables (Essential Annual Fisheries Information Tables I – IV and Tabular Annual Fisheries Information Tables 1-5 and Figures 1-3 from Annual Report Part 1) that are based on April 30 scientific data submissions.

The trial was approved in 2020, so as to allow CCMs through SC and TCC, to explore a streamlining suggestion for Annual Report Part 1.  As tasked, the Secretariat intends to prepare a paper in conjunction with SPC-OFP on the experiences and outcomes of the trial and its cost and resources implications for SC16 and TCC16 consideration and advice to WCPFC17

The proposed timeline for generation of the ACE tables is:

• March: Preliminary version of ACE tables published
• 30 April: Deadline for “Scientific Data to be Provided to the Commission” submissions
• 15 May: Provisional ACE tables published for most recent 5 years
• 22 June: Latest ACE tables published in preparation for Scientific Committee
• 20 Sept: Latest ACE tables published in preparation for Technical and Compliance Committee
• November: Final estimates of ACE tables in preparation for Regular Annual Session of the WCPFC

CCMs may review published ACE tables listed below and are requested to provide revisions and updates to WCPFC/SPC as required.

Notes as at 15th May 2020

• Maps of catch by species have been produced for 2019 and are included in these tables.  The maps are consistent with the WCPFC data dissemination rules in excluding the activities of less than 3 vessels.  However, maps with all data (i.e. unfiltered) can be generated and included in the ACE Tables, if the flag-state CCM provides authorisation to do so.  An alternative is that the unfiltered map can be provided directly to the flag-state CCM on request (but not published in the ACE Table on the WCPFC web site).
• DISCARDS by SPECIES in “number of fish” have been submitted for a number of longline fleets, but are not yet included in the ACE Tables.  We hope to include a new worksheet tabulating the “DISCARDS in number” for longline fleets in the next version of the ACE tables.

CCMs who have comments or revisions on the ACE tables are asked to highlight the edits in the relevant Excel file, and to submit the revised version to Peter Williams WCPFC Data Manager: PeterW@spc.int and cc. Dr SungKwon Soh, Science Manager: sungkwon.soh@wcpfc.int