Deadline for comments from VMS SWG participants on VMS SWG paper and SOPs (issued 16 July 2021)

Paper sent by email to VMS SWG participants (and posted to https://www.wcpfc.int/2020_vms-swg)

 

The VMS SWG continues to make progress on considering VMS data gap issues and refining potential recommendations for TCC17 as to how to address any of those gaps.

Accordingly, please find attached a new VMS SWG paper for your review and comment.

We hope the content and intent of the paper is clear. However, we draw your attention to the following summary points outlined in the paper:
- The purpose of this paper is to propose draft VMS SWG recommendations to TCC17, in line with the VMS SWG’s tasking from WCPFC16.
- This paper provides a synthesised summary of participants’ comments on the proposed approaches to addressing identified VMS data gap issues. Proposed approaches that did not have general agreement from most participants were not put forward as recommendations to TCC17. Proposed approaches that did have general agreement have been consolidated into draft TCC17 recommendations.
- Participants’ comments on this paper’s draft TCC recommendations will inform the finalised VMS SWG TCC17 recommendations. The co-chairs propose that these recommendations be put forward to TCC17 via a VMS SWG report.
- The co-chairs request that participants closely review the draft recommendations. Where possible, participants are requested to focus their comments and edits to the draft TCC17 recommendation language (ideally in track changes).

In addition, we attach a draft revised VMS Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). This is a revised version of the currently-in-force version of the VMS SOPs (Dec 2018 - https://www.wcpfc.int/doc/commission-vms-standard-operating-procedures), and has been prepared by the Secretariat, with input from the co-chairs. These edits seek to capture and clarify a range of VMS developments progressed by the Secretariat.

We kindly request that participants provide their comments on the attached two documents by Friday 13th August 2021. As noted above, for the SWG VMS Paper, where possible please focus any comments/edits on the draft TCC17 recommendation language.