SPC Tuna Stock Assessment and Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) Workshops

This information is to alert GEF focal point officers to the upcoming OFP-SPC Tuna Stock Assessment and Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) Workshops to be run at SPC Headquarters (Noumea) in mid-2008. Invitations to these workshops have already been sent to specific fisheries officers, via Heads of Department in each country. Therefore this notice is purely “for information” and does not require any actions to be taken by its recipients.

As of the 19th of February, invitations to specific fisheries officers were sent to the Heads of Department (Fisheries) in each FFA member country. These invitations were to attend:

1. One of two Stock Assessment Workshops (focused on Western and Central Pacific tuna fisheries) being run by SPC between 19th-25th June and 30thJune - 4th July 2008
2. An adjoining two day Ecological Risk Assessment Workshop to enhance in country understanding and use of Ecological Risk Assessment research (26th-27th June 2008).

The ERA workshop sits between the two Stock Assessment Workshops to allow cost effective participation by all countries and territories. The following provides some background to these workshops.

Stock Assessment Workshops

You may recall that in July 2006 and July 2007, the Oceanic Fisheries Programme of the SPC held 1-2 week long stock assessment workshops for oceanic fisheries officers from Pacific Island Countries and Territories. The workshops were part of the GEF funded “Oceanic Fisheries Management Project” and also utilized other funding sources. The purpose of the workshop was to increase understanding of stock assessments and oceanographic impacts within Pacific Island Countries and Territories; enable informed communication of these issues within country; enable increased contribution to Scientific Committee and Commission decision making; and, increase national capacity for data analyses/interpretation.

Post workshop appraisals in 2006 and 2007 identified that the long term success of this capacity building endeavour will depend upon three critical factors:

1. Nomination of appropriate staff and their continued participation on an ongoing basis
2. Annual workshops on an ongoing basis
3. Remote (online) revision and training in between the annual workshops

Annual stock assessment workshops and remote training have already been planned and implemented, and SPC-OFP will continue to work closely with national fisheries departments to ensure suitably qualified staff are provided this important training opportunity.

Ecological Risk Assessment Workshop

The OFP-SPC has been funded by the WCPFC to undertake an Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) for the Western and Central Pacific tuna fisheries. The purpose of the ERA research is to provide scientific advice to the Commission and its members regarding which bycatch species are at the highest potential risk of being adversely impacted by the fisheries operating in the Convention area. ERA’s are also being requested at a national level as part of the implementation of the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) currently being adopted by many Pacific Island Countries. The ERA workshop aims to increase in country understanding and use of ERA research to assist in management decision making and resource allocation at both national and regional (WCPFC) levels.

Participant Eligibility

In order to assist in the selection of appropriate staff, SPC-OFP is inviting specific officers based on a number of criteria:

Essential

1. The officer is expected to attend the Scientific Committee meeting in 2008 and/or in future years

Plus one of the following

2. Participation in at least 4 of 6 online revision exercises between November 2007 and May 2008

3. Level 2 workshop attendance in 2007

4. A university level science degree (with fisheries or marine biology component). Post graduate degrees (Masters, PhD) are an advantage but not at all essential.

This selection process has been introduced to maximize the effectiveness of the training resources available and thereby ensure that the benefits of the stock assessment workshops are realized at a national and regional level. However, OFP-SPC recognizes and is sympathetic to the fact that not all countries and territories are in a position to send an officer who meets the criteria above, due to resource constraints and other commitments. If this situation arises, OFP-SPC will be happy to discuss and help identify other officers in country fisheries departments who might be appropriate participants in this training.

Funding

In previous years, funding for FFA countries to attend these workshops has been provided via the Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded “Oceanic Fisheries Management Project”. However, in 2008, funding for participants from FFA member countries is being provided through the WCPFC administered and Japanese Government funded “WCPFC Project on Capacity Building in Fisheries Statistics, Regulation and Enforcement for Small Island Developing States”.

The closing date for nominations is April 1st 2008

Once again, invitations to these workshops have already been sent to specific fisheries officers, via Heads of Department in each country. Therefore this notice is purely “for information” and does not require any actions to be taken by its recipients.

However, please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any queries regarding the workshops

Kind regards

Don Bromhead, Brett Molony
Fisheries Scientists
Oceanic Fisheries Programme, Secretariat of the Pacific Community
Ph: +687 260120