INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION FOR THE COMMISSION INTERNATIONALE POUR LA CONSERVATION OF ATLANTIC TUNAS CONSERVATION DES THONIDES DE L’ATLANTIQUE COMISIÓN INTERNACIONAL PARA LA CONSERVACIÓN DEL ATÚN ATLÁNTICO REPORT OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON RESEARCH AND STATISTICS (SCRS) (Madrid, Spain, September 29 to October 3, 2008) October 2008 Corazón de María, 8 – 28002 MADRID – Spain, Espagne, España – Tel: +34 91 416 56 00 – Fax+34 91 415 26 12 – http://www.iccat.int - [email protected] REPORT OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF RESEARCH AND STATISTICS (Madrid, Spain, September 29-October 3, 2008) TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Opening of the meeting............................................................................................................................... 1 2. Adoption of Agenda and arrangements for the meeting ............................................................................ 1 3. Introduction of Contracting Party delegations............................................................................................ 2 4. Introduction and admission of observers ................................................................................................... 2 5. Admission of scientific documents ............................................................................................................ 2 6. Report of Secretariat activities in research and statistics . ......................................................................... 2 7. Review of national fisheries and research programs ................................................................................. 4 8. Executive Summaries on species: .............................................................................................................. 14 YFT-Yellowfin .......................................................................................................................................... 16 BET-Bigeye ............................................................................................................................................... 30 SKJ-Skipjack ............................................................................................................................................. 40 ALB-Albacore ............................................................................................................................................ 54 BFT-Bluefin ............................................................................................................................................... 71 BUM/WHM-Blue marlin/White marlin . .................................................................................................. 91 SAI-Sailfish ................................................................................................................................................ 102 SWO-ATL-Swordfish ............................................................................................................................... 108 SWO-MED-Swordfish .............................................................................................................................. 119 SBF-Southern Bluefin ............................................................................................................................... 127 SMT-Small Tunas ..................................................................................................................................... 128 SHK-Sharks ............................................................................................................................................... 142 9. Report of Inter-sessional meetings ............................................................................................................ 152 9.1 Working Group on Stock Assessment Methods .................................................................................. 152 9.2 Inter-sessional Meeting of Mediterranean Swordfish .......................................................................... 152 9.3 Inter-sessional Meeting of the Sub-Committee on Ecosystems .......................................................... 152 9.4 World Symposium for the Study into the Stock Fluctuation of Northern Bluefin Tunas ( Thunnus thynnus and Thunnus orientalis) Including Historic Periods................................................. 153 9.5 GFCM-ICCAT Joint Mediterranean Small Tuna Working Group...................................................... 153 9.6 Sailfish Data Preparatory Meeting ....................................................................................................... 154 9.7 Bluefin Tuna Stock Assessment Session ............................................................................................. 154 9.8 Yellowfin and Skipjack Stock Assessments Session .......................................................................... 154 9.9 Sharks Stock Assessment Session ....................................................................................................... 155 10. Report of Special Research Programs ....................................................................................................... 155 10.1 Bluefin Year Program (BYP) ............................................................................................................ 155 10.2 Enhanced Research Program for Billfish .......................................................................................... 155 10.3 Requests for funding possibilities ...................................................................................................... 155 11. Report of the Sub-Committee on Statistics ............................................................................................... 155 12. Report of the Sub-Committee on Ecosystems ........................................................................................... 156 13. Consideration of plans for future activities ............................................................................................... 156 13.1 Annual Work Plans ........................................................................................................................... 157 13.2 Inter-sessional meetings proposed for 2009 .................................................................................... 157 13.3 Date and place of the next meeting of the SCRS ............................................................................. 159 14. General recommendations to the Commission .......................................................................................... 159 i 15. Responses to Commission’s requests ........................................................................................................ 162 15.1 Calls for an evaluation of data deficiencies at ICCAT with emphasis on how such deficiencies may affect management advice [Rec. 05-09] ................ 162 15.2 Consideration of information on fishing capacity [Res. 06-19] and Capacity WG request ........... 163 15.3 Consideration of information on seabirds by-catch reduction [Rec. 07-07] ................................... 164 15.4 Review of information on farmed bluefin tuna growth rates [Rec. 06-07] ..................................... 164 15.5 Other considerations about the ability to monitor the eastern bluefin tuna recovery plan ............. 165 15.6 Strategies to increase the yield per recruit and MSY of bigeye tuna by reducing mortality on small bigeye tuna ......................................................................................................................... 165 16. Other matters .............................................................................................................................................. 166 16.1 Scientific Implications of Performance Review .............................................................................. 166 16.2 IUCN Ecolabeling – scientific/technical requirements for this activity document ........................ 166 16.3 Species ID posters – sharks & small tunas ...................................................................................... 166 16.4 Needed improvement in Secretarial support for SCRS requirements to fulfill Commission requests ............................................................................................................................................. 166 16.5 Profile for the By-Catch Coordinator position ................................................................................ 167 16.6 Others ................................................................................................................................................ 167 17. Adoption of report and closure .................................................................................................................. Appendix 1. SCRS Agenda ...................................................................................................................... 168 Appendix 2. List of SCRS Participants ..................................................................................................... 169 Appendix 3. List of 2008 SCRS Documents ............................................................................................ 178 Appendix 4. Opening Address by the ICCAT Executive Secretary ........................................................ 189 Appendix 5. Work Plans of Species Groups for 2009 .............................................................................. 190 Appendix 6. Report of the Bluefin Year Program