MSC Full Assessment Reporting Template FCR v2.0 V 1.0 (16th March 2015) Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Final Report French Polynesia albacore and yellowfin longline fishery On behalf of the Direction des Ressources Marines et Minières Prepared by ME Certification Ltd APRIL 2018 Authors: Jo Gascoigne Chrissie Sieben Charles Daxboeck ME Certification Ltd 56 High Street, Lymington Hampshire SO41 9AH United Kingdom Tel: 01590 613007 Fax: 01590 671573 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.me-cert.com MSC Full Assessment Reporting Template FCR v2.0 V 1.0 (16th March 2015) Contents CONTENTS ............................................................................................................................. 1 GLOSSARY ............................................................................................................................. 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................. 8 1 AUTHORSHIP AND PEER REVIEWERS .............................................................................. 11 2.1 Unit(s) of Assessment (UoA) and Scope of Certification Sought ........................... 14 2.1.1 UoA and Proposed Unit of Certification (UoC) .............................................................. 14 2.1.2 Final UoC(s) .................................................................................................................. 15 2.1.3 Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and Catch Data ............................................................... 15 2.1.4 Scope of Assessment in Relation to Enhanced Fisheries ............................................ 15 2.1.5 Scope of Assessment in Relation to Introduced Species Based Fisheries (ISBF) ....... 15 2.2 Overview of the fishery ......................................................................................... 16 2.2.1 The Client fishery .......................................................................................................... 16 2.2.2 Introduction to French Polynesia ................................................................................... 21 2.2.3 History of the fishery ..................................................................................................... 22 2.2.4 Management of the fishery ............................................................................................ 23 2.2.5 Gear and operation of the fishery.................................................................................. 24 2.2.6 Fishing areas and seasons ........................................................................................... 27 2.3 Principle One: Target Species Background ........................................................... 28 2.3.1 Definition of stocks – eastern vs. western Pacific ......................................................... 28 2.3.2 P1 Assessment methodology for WCPFC stocks ......................................................... 28 2.3.3 P1 Assessment methodology for IATTC yellowfin ........................................................ 29 2.3.4 Albacore life history and fisheries ................................................................................. 29 2.3.5 Albacore stock status and trends .................................................................................. 29 2.3.6 Albacore reference points ............................................................................................. 32 2.3.7 Albacore information and stock assessment ................................................................ 33 2.3.8 WCPFC harvest strategy .............................................................................................. 34 2.3.9 Albacore harvest strategy ............................................................................................. 35 2.3.10 Yellowfin stocks ............................................................................................................. 36 2.3.11 Yellowfin life history and fisheries ................................................................................. 36 2.3.12 WCPO yellowfin stock status and trends ...................................................................... 36 2.3.13 WCPO yellowfin reference points ................................................................................. 37 2.3.14 WCPO yellowfin information and stock assessment ..................................................... 38 2.3.15 WCPO yellowfin harvest strategy .................................................................................. 38 2.3.16 EPO yellowfin recruitment ............................................................................................. 39 2.3.17 EPO yellowfin reference points ..................................................................................... 40 2.3.18 EPO yellowfin stock status and trends .......................................................................... 40 2.3.19 EPO yellowfin information ............................................................................................. 43 2.3.20 EPO yellowfin stock assessment .................................................................................. 43 2.3.21 IATTC yellowfin harvest strategy .................................................................................. 47 2.3.22 French Polynesia harvest strategy ................................................................................ 48 2.3.23 French Polynesia in the regional harvest strategy ........................................................ 49 2.3.24 Key Low-Trophic Level Species .................................................................................... 49 2.4 Principle Two: Ecosystem Background ................................................................. 50 2.4.1 Data availability ............................................................................................................. 50 2.4.2 Designation of species under Principle 2 ...................................................................... 51 2.4.3 Bycatch (primary and secondary) ................................................................................. 52 2.4.4 ETP species .................................................................................................................. 61 2846R05B | ME Certification Ltd. 1 MSC Full Assessment Reporting Template FCR v2.0 V 1.0 (16th March 2015) 2.4.5 Habitats ......................................................................................................................... 70 2.4.6 Ecosystem ..................................................................................................................... 71 2.5 Principle Three: Management System Background............................................... 73 2.5.1 Jurisdictions in the area of operation ............................................................................ 73 2.5.2 International management framework .......................................................................... 74 2.5.3 French Polynesia management framework .................................................................. 78 2.5.4 Regional and sub-regional organisations ...................................................................... 79 2.5.5 French Polynesia roles and responsibilities .................................................................. 82 2.5.6 Monitoring control and surveillance............................................................................... 82 2.5.7 Other Consultative entities and dissemination of fishery information ........................... 83 2.5.8 Environmental management ......................................................................................... 84 2.5.9 Subsistence fishing rights ............................................................................................. 84 3 EVALUATION PROCEDURE .............................................................................................. 86 3.1 Harmonised Fishery Assessment .......................................................................... 86 3.1.1 Overlapping fisheries .................................................................................................... 86 3.1.2 Principle 1 ...................................................................................................................... 86 3.1.3 Principle 2 ...................................................................................................................... 87 3.1.4 Principle 3 ...................................................................................................................... 87 3.2 Previous assessments .......................................................................................... 87 3.3 Assessment Methodologies .................................................................................. 87 3.4 Evaluation Processes and Techniques ................................................................. 87 3.4.1 Site Visits and consultations ......................................................................................... 87 3.4.2 Evaluation Techniques .................................................................................................. 90 4 TRACEABILITY ............................................................................................................... 92 4.1 Eligibility Date ....................................................................................................... 92 4.2 Traceability within