Apia, Samoa, 19 August 2026. The Twenty-Second Regular Session of the WCPFC Scientific Committee (SC22) was held in Apia, Samoa, from 11–19 August 2026, bringing together around 150 scientists, fisheries managers, CCM representatives and observers for eight days of discussions on the science underpinning management of the Western and Central Pacific Ocean’s tuna fisheries and associated ecosystems. The meeting considered a wide-ranging program covering fisheries and economic trends, scientific data, stock assessments, harvest strategies, ecosystem and bycatch issues, and future scientific priorities.
SC22 reviewed the latest information on WCPO fisheries, where the provisional tuna catch for 2025 was estimated at 2.59 million tons, representing approximately 72% of the Pacific-wide tuna catch and 49% of the global tuna catch. While catch declined from the record levels observed in 2024, the meeting highlighted the continuing importance of WCPO tuna fisheries to Pacific economies, food security and livelihoods. The SC also considered progress in strengthening the Commission’s scientific data systems, including the first year of the standardized SciData submission portal. SC22 acknowledged significant improvements in the timeliness and quality of data provided to the Commission and supported continued work to improve data submission, quality and accessibility.
A major focus of SC22 was the 2026 bigeye and yellowfin tuna stock assessments. Due to the late submission of the yellowfin assessment, SC22 deferred its adoption until SC23 and identified further analyses to strengthen the assessment. For bigeye tuna, SC22 recognized the 2026 assessment as the most scientifically advanced assessment of the stock developed to date but was unable to reach consensus on the appropriate uncertainty grid for characterizing stock status and management risk. Both alternative grids considered by SC22 nevertheless indicated, on average, that the stock was not overfished and not subject to overfishing, although they produced different estimates of the risk of breaching the limit reference point and exceeding fishing mortality at MSY. SC22 identified outstanding uncertainties, particularly around the treatment of tagging data, and recommended further technical work ahead of the next assessment in 2029. Importantly, SC22 agreed that the lack of consensus on the 2026 assessment should not impede progress on the bigeye tuna management procedure, noting that consideration of the Management Procedure (MP) depends on the estimation method rather than directly on acceptance of the latest stock assessment.
SC22 made important progress toward the Commission’s broader harvest strategy agenda, particularly for bigeye tuna. While supporting the overall bigeye MSE framework to proceed, the SC requested that the operating model (OM) grid be revised to better encompass the lower-depletion scenarios indicated by the 2026 assessment, with updated analyses to be considered at the second Bigeye Management Workshop (BMW02) ahead of WCPFC23. SC22 also supported in principle the revised bigeye estimation method, subject to re-evaluation against the revised OM grid, and requested further development and evaluation of candidate Management Procedures. Recognizing the need to complete this work in time for Commission consideration, SC22 recommended convening a two-day special session of the Scientific Committee to further review and formally approve the revised bigeye OM grid, among other issues, preferably in person with hybrid participation adjacent to WCPFC23 in Port Vila, Vanuatu, subject to intersessional confirmation and funding availability. Because the choice of a bigeye Management Procedure can also affect yellowfin outcomes under the mixed-fishery approach, SC22 further advised that yellowfin MSE results be considered alongside the bigeye evaluations. The SC also supported development of a mixed-fishery monitoring strategy for bigeye and yellowfin in 2027 and recommended that monitoring strategies become a standing agenda item for the Commission and its subsidiary bodies.
The SC also addressed a broad range of ecosystem and bycatch issues. Work on non-entangling and biodegradable drifting FADs continued to show encouraging results, with more than 670 “jelly-FADs” constructed under Projects 110 and 110a and over 450 deployed across several fleets. Preliminary results support the operational feasibility and availability of biodegradable materials, with the projects expected to conclude in early 2027. SC22 also considered sea turtle bycatch and recommended collaborative analyses of leatherback turtle interactions in WCPO longline fisheries, alongside further work to improve information on fishing gear remaining attached to turtles following release.
Looking ahead, SC22 took steps to manage the growing scientific workload of the SC more strategically, agreeing to a three-year prioritization process beginning with the stock assessment schedule at SC22, followed by the harvest strategy workplan at SC23 and reviews of ecosystem and bycatch-related CMMs at SC24. The Committee also agreed that tuna assessment schedules may alternate between benchmark and update assessments following an SC-approved peer review, deferred consideration of the billfish and shark assessment schedule until after the planned assessment methods workshop and revised the scheduling of ecosystem and bycatch topics to help balance future workloads. SC22 also strengthened arrangements for independent scientific review, scheduling peer reviews of the 2028 skipjack assessment for 2029 and the 2029 bigeye assessment for 2030, while the timing of a South Pacific albacore review will be considered following its 2030 assessment. The SC emphasized that its work program and scientific requirements should continue to take account of the special requirements and constraints of Small Island Developing States and Territories (SIDS). Priorities for 2027 include the South Pacific albacore stock assessment, further refinement of the yellowfin assessment, continued development of tuna assessment methods and software, improvements to scientific data systems, harvest strategy work, and scientific support for the review of the tropical tuna measure.
Overall, SC22 provided an important scientific foundation for decisions to be taken at WCPFC23, while also highlighting the increasing complexity of the Commission's scientific program. The meeting demonstrated the continuing evolution of WCPFC science—from conventional stock assessments toward integrated harvest strategies, strengthened monitoring and data systems, and greater consideration of ecosystem and climate-related issues—while maintaining a strong focus on ensuring that scientific advice remains robust, transparent and responsive to the management needs of the Commission.