MSC Pre-assessment Update ​ ​ ​ ​ for Wakayama Tuna Longline Fishery ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ March 2017 ​ ​ Prepared for ​ ​ Yamasa Wakiguchi Suisan ​ ​ ​ ​ Prepared by ​ ​ Ocean Outcomes 421 SW 6th Ave, Ste 1400,​ ​ Portland, OR 97204, USA ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Pre-assessment Team: Dr. Jocelyn Drugan, Ocean​ ​ Outcomes ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1 oceanoutcomes.org Wakayama longline tuna PA update ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Table of Contents ​ ​ ​ ​ Glossary 1. Executive summary ​ ​ ​ ​ 2. Introduction ​ ​ 2.1 Aims/scope ​ ​ 2.2 Constraints ​ ​ 2.3 Unit(s) of Assessment ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.4 Catch data ​ ​ ​ ​ 3. Description of the fishery ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.1 Overview of the fishery ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.3 Principle One: Target species background ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.4 Principle Two: Ecosystem background ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.5 Principle Three: Management system background ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4. Evaluation Procedure ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.1 Assessment methodologies used ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.2 Stakeholders to be consulted ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.3 Harmonisation with any overlapping MSC certified fisheries ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5. Traceability (issues relevant to Chain of Custody certification) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.1 Eligibility of fishery products to enter further Chains of Custody ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6. Preliminary evaluation of the fishery ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.1 Applicability of the default assessment tree ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.1.1 Expectations regarding use of the Risk-Based Framework (RBF) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.2 Evaluation of the fishery ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.3 Summary of likely PI scoring levels ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7. Gap analysis ​ ​ ​ ​ References 2 oceanoutcomes.org Wakayama longline tuna PA update ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Glossary B, B Biomass, biomass at maximum sustainable yield ​ ​ ​MSY ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone ​ ​ ​ ​ ETP Endangered,Threatened or Protected ​ ​ ​ ​ F, F Fishing rate/catching rate, fishing rate at maximum sustainable yield ​ ​ ​MSY ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ FAO Food and Agriculture Organization [of the United Nations] ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ FCR Fisheries Certification Requirements [for MSC] ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ FIP Fishery Improvement Project ​ ​ ​ ​ GRT Gross register tons, one hundred cubic feet per ton ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ JFA Japan Fisheries Agency ​ ​ ​ ​ LRP limit reference point ​ ​ ​ ​ MAFF Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ mt metric tons ​ ​ MSC Marine Stewardship Council ​ ​ ​ ​ MSY Maximum sustainable yield ​ ​ ​ ​ NGO Non-Governmental Organization ​ ​ PA Pre-assessment PI performance indicator ​ ​ RBF Risk Based Framework ​ ​ ​ ​ SSB, SSB Spawning stock biomass, spawning stock biomass at maximum sustainable yield ​ ​ ​MSY ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ TAC Total Allowable Catch ​ ​ ​ ​ TRP target reference point ​ ​ ​ ​ UoA Unit of Assessment ​ ​ ​ ​ 3 oceanoutcomes.org Wakayama longline tuna PA update ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1. Executive summary ​ ​ ​ ​ This report is essentially an updated version of the 2012 MSC pre-assessment (PA) conducted ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ on the Nachi-Katsuura Tuna Longline (Haenawa) Fishery. We used recent, publicly available ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ information on stock status, bycatch species, and management to re-describe and re-evaluate ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ potential MSC scoring ranges for the fishery. Main strengths of the fishery are that the targeted ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ North Pacific albacore stock does not yet appear overfished, and RFMO management collects ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ data and coordinates management across all of the countries that harvest the stock. One ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ weakness is the lack of well defined harvest control rules, which will help ensure reduction of ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ exploitation rate as the stock approaches limit reference points. Additionally, longline fisheries ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ may catch species with overfished or depleted stock status, such as Pacific bluefin tuna, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Western and Central Pacific bigeye tuna, and various shark species. Fishery impacts on ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ depleted stocks will need to be considered in Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) or full ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ assessment. 2. Introduction ​ ​ 2.1 Aims/scope ​ ​ This report provides an updated assessment and gap analysis of the MSC Pre-assessment of ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ the Nachi-Katsuura Tuna Longline (Haenawa) Fishery, published by SCS Global Services in ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2012. In particular, there is now improved information on the stock status of relevant tuna ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ species. This report does not attempt to duplicate a full assessment against the MSC standard. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.2 Constraints ​ ​ We did not have a specific fishery client to consult for this analysis and relied on publicly posted ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ information to develop this assessment. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.3 Unit(s) of Assessment ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Species: Binnaga or albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Geographical Area: ​ ​ Fishing takes place in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. The main fishing areas are the ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ coastal and offshore waters of Japan, which are traditionally divided into four fishing zones: ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Nihon-kinkai (waters adjacent to Japan; between latitudes N 25°and 32°and longitudes E ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 133°and 140°), Higashi-oki (waters off eastern coast of Japan; between latitudes N 37°and ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 40°and longitudes E 147°and 150°), Chunan (waters off south-central Japan; between latitudes ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ N 10°and 30°and longitudes E 133°and 160°), and Nanpou (southern equatorial waters; south ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4 oceanoutcomes.org Wakayama longline tuna PA update ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ of latitude N 10°). Nihon-kinkai, Higashi-oki, and Chunan are in FAO area 61(Northwest Pacific), ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ while Nanpou is in FAO area 71 (Western Central Pacific). ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Figure 1. Tuna fishing areas near Japan used by 19 GRT longline vessels. Nihon-kinkai (waters adjacent to Japan; ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ shown in blue), Higashi-oki (waters off eastern coast of Japan; shown in red), Chunan (waters off south-central ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Japan; shown in green), and Nanpou (southern equatorial waters; shown in dark yellow). Figure from Watanuki and ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Vincent 2012. ​ ​ This fishery operates both inside and outside of the Japanese Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Winter (December through April) is the peak time to catch Pacific bluefin, bigeye, yellowfin, and ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ albacore in the Nihon-kinkai area. Chunan is the largest and most productive area for albacore ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ and yellowfin, which are fished throughout the year. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The tuna landing port is located in Nachikatsuura, a town in the Wakayama prefecture of Japan. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Method of Capture: ​ ​ ​ ​ Tuna longline, operated by 19 GRT (hundreds of cubic feet) vessels. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Stocks: There are six albacore tuna stocks assessed and managed worldwide, and this fishery targets ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ the North Pacific Ocean stock. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5 oceanoutcomes.org Wakayama longline tuna PA update ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Management System: ​ ​ ● At the Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMO) level, relevant ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ management bodies include the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (WCPFC) and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ● At the national level relevant management bodies include the Japan Fisheries Agency ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (JFA) in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF). ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.4 Catch data ​ ​ ​ ​ No TAC (total allowable catch) has been set for North Pacific albacore, either globally or within ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Japan. Total catches (in metric tons; mt) are shown in the table below. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Table 1. Albacore catch data from WCPFC 2016. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Year Japan, coastal longline North Pacific, longline North Pacific, total WCPFC, total ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2006 16,734 34,270 69,761 104,986 2007 18,409 31,771 94,644 126,701 2008 13,679 28,369