ACAP – Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (international agreement, WCPFC observer regarding seabird bycatch).
ANCORS – Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (academic center often involved in WCPFC research/policy discussions).
CCAMLR – Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (Antarctic fisheries body, observer at WCPFC).
CCM – Commission Members, Cooperating Non-Members and Participating Territories (collective term for WCPFC members/participants).
CCSBT – Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (RFMO for southern bluefin tuna, observer at WCPFC).
CI – Conservation International (environmental NGO, WCPFC observer).
CKMR – Close-Kin Mark-Recapture (a genetic analysis technique to estimate fish population size by examining the DNA of kin pairs).
CMR – Compliance Monitoring Report. pCMR refers to the provisional draft report, and fCMR the final report adopted for each year.
CMS – Compliance Monitoring Scheme (WCPFC’s system for reviewing each CCM’s compliance with obligations).
CMM – Conservation and Management Measure (a binding decision or regulation adopted by WCPFC).
CNM – Cooperating Non-Member (a non-member country granted cooperating status by WCPFC).
DP – Delegation Paper (a proposal or information paper submitted by a member delegation).
EHSP-SMA – Eastern High Seas Pocket – Special Management Area (a high-seas zone between Pacific Island EEZs subject to additional management measures).
ER/EM – Electronic Reporting and Electronic Monitoring (the use of electronic tools – digital logbooks, video cameras – to report catches and monitor vessels).
FAC – Finance and Administration Committee (committee handling WCPFC’s budget and administration).
FFA – Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (a regional fisheries organization for Pacific Island countries).
GFW – Global Fishing Watch (NGO providing vessel tracking data, WCPFC observer).
HCR – Harvest Control Rule (pre-agreed rule that adjusts fishing effort or catch based on stock status).
HS – Harvest Strategy (a formal strategy for managing a stock, often designated by “HS” in WCPFC measure codes).
HSBI – High Seas Boarding and Inspection (the regime for authorized officers to board vessels on the high seas to inspect for compliance).
IATTC – Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (tuna RFMO for the Eastern Pacific Ocean).
ICCAT – International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (Atlantic tuna RFMO, observer at WCPFC).
IOTC – Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (Indian Ocean tuna RFMO, observer at WCPFC).
IP – Information Paper (a background or supplemental informational document in meetings).
ISSF – International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (industry-NGO coalition that is an observer in WCPFC).
IWG – Intersessional Working Group (ad-hoc group working on a specific issue between regular sessions).
JICA – Japan International Cooperation Agency (development agency of Japan, supports fisheries projects).
JPF / JTF – Japan Promotion Fund and Japan Trust Fund. Financial mechanisms provided by Japan through FFA and WCPFC to support Pacific Island capacity-building, fisheries development, and scientific projects.
JWG – Joint Working Group (a working group involving WCPFC and another organization, e.g. the WCPFC-IATTC joint meetings on shared stocks).
LRP – Limit Reference Point (a minimum stock level threshold to avoid, below which the stock is considered overfished or in danger).
MFCL – MULTIFAN-CL (a stock assessment modeling software used for tuna assessments in the Pacific).
MLS – Striped Marlin (Kajikia audax).
MP – Management Procedure (a specific set of rules/algorithm for managing a fishery, often tested via MSE before adoption).
MCS – Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (general term for enforcement tools like observers, patrols, VMS, etc.).
MSE – Management Strategy Evaluation (simulation-testing of different management procedures and strategies for a fishery).
NC – Northern Committee (a committee focusing on fisheries in the north Pacific area under WCPFC’s mandate).
NEAFC – North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (Atlantic high-seas fisheries body, sometimes referenced in WCPFC for IUU vessel lists).
NGO – Non-governmental Organization.
NPFC – North Pacific Fisheries Commission (RFMO for North Pacific fisheries, participates as observer).
NTADS – Non-Target and Associated or Dependent Species (collective term for species incidentally caught in tuna fisheries).
OFCF – Overseas Fishery Cooperation Foundation of Japan (Japanese foundation supporting fisheries development).
OM – Operating Model (a simulation model representing the fish population dynamics used in MSE testing).
OP – Observer Paper (a paper submitted by an observer organization).
PBF – Pacific Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus orientalis).
PIFS – Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (political/economic policy organization of Pacific states).
PNA / PNAO – Parties to the Nauru Agreement and its Office. A coalition of 8 Pacific nations managing the Vessel Day Scheme, with an administrative office supporting implementation.
RBAF – Risk-Based Assessment Framework (a framework to assess compliance or management risks, used to prioritize issues under the Compliance Monitoring Scheme).
ROP – Regional Observer Programme (the WCPFC program placing human observers on fishing vessels to collect data and monitor compliance).
SciData – Scientific Data to be Provided to the Commission (shorthand for WCPFC’s data provision requirements).
SC – Scientific Committee (WCPFC’s science advisory committee).
SIDS – Small Island Developing States (term for developing Pacific Island member countries).
SIP / SRF – Strategic Investment Plan and Special Requirements Fund. WCPFC financial and planning mechanisms to support SIDS in meeting obligations and building capacity.
SMD – Science-Management Dialogue (a joint forum of scientists, managers, and stakeholders to discuss harvest strategies and management objectives).
SP-ALB – South Pacific Albacore (Thunnus alalunga).
SPARM – South Pacific Albacore Roadmap (WCPFC’s workplan for managing South Pacific albacore tuna).
SPC – Pacific Community (provides scientific services via its Oceanic Fisheries Programme).
SPG – South Pacific Group (historical term for a coalition of Pacific Island states in fisheries negotiations).
SPRFMO – South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (RFMO for non-tuna fisheries in South Pacific).
SPR – Spawning Potential Ratio (the percentage of a stock’s lifetime egg production remaining under fishing).
SRP – Shark Research Plan (a WCPFC-agreed plan for research on shark stocks in the WCPO).
SSB – Spawning Stock Biomass (the total weight of all mature fish in the population).
SSP – Scientific Services Provider (the agency contracted to provide scientific analysis for WCPFC, currently SPC’s Oceanic Fisheries Programme).
SWG – Small Working Group (temporary working group convened for a specialized task).
TCC – Technical and Compliance Committee (WCPFC’s body for compliance and enforcement issues).
TRP – Target Reference Point (a benchmark stock level intended to achieve optimal yield).
TSER – Transhipment Electronic Reporting System (WCPFC’s system for electronic reporting of high-seas transshipment activities).
UVI – Unique Vessel Identifier (a permanent identification number for vessels, e.g. IMO number).
VMS – Vessel Monitoring System (satellite-based system tracking fishing vessel positions in real time).
WCPO / WCPFC-CA – Western and Central Pacific Ocean and WCPFC Convention Area. The WCPO is the general ocean region; the WCPFC-CA is the legally defined area of competence for the Commission.
WCNPO – Western and Central North Pacific Ocean (used in reference to northern stocks).
WCPFC – Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (the RFMO governing tuna fisheries in the Western and Central Pacific).
WPEA-ITM – West Pacific East Asia – Improved Tuna Monitoring Project (a WCPFC project to improve tuna catch data in Southeast Asia).
WP – Working Paper (technical or working group document prepared for meetings).
WWF – World Wide Fund for Nature (global conservation NGO, active as WCPFC observer).