First Tuna Data Workshop

The collection, management and reporting of data is an important foundation for managing the world’s largest tuna fisheries. In recognition of the importance of this work GEF funding was used to run a Tuna Data Workshop (TDW-1) at SPC, New Caledonia. The workshop was aimed at National Tuna Data Coordinators who are employed in each of the Pacific Islands Countries and Territories (PICTs). Additional co-funding was supplied by the EU under its PROC FISH project This, the first data workshop, concentrated on the collection and management of tuna fishery data. Presentations by Oceanic Fisheries Programme staff were structured under the broad concept titles of ‘Why’, What’ and ‘How’ in regards to tuna data collection. Participants were encouraged to contribute and did so strongly throughout the workshop. The group sessions outputs were used to compile and enhance important final outputs on; the reasons to collect data at the national level, the problems encountered and possible solutions to these collection problems. It is hoped that for future workshops the focus will more to the dissemination of tuna data. The next workshop is provisionally planned for the first quarter in 2008.