Ecosystem Analysis

A report of the first Papua New Guinea Tuna Tagging Project cruise, carried out in Papua New Guinea during August to November 2006 is available.

The PNG Tagging Project is a joint research project being implemented by the Oceanic Fisheries Programme (OFP) of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and the PNG National Fisheries Authority (NFA).

In October 2005, SPC's Oceanic Fisheries Programme, in collaboration with the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), started a five-year endeavor called the Pacific Islands Oceanic Fisheries Management Project (OFM project). The OFM project is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and the Scientific Assessment and Monitoring Enhancement Component of the project (including ecosystem analysis) is implemented by SPC.

The Convention requires that the impacts of fishing on non-target and associated or dependent species, and ecosystem impacts in general, be considered when management measures are being developed for highly migratory fish stocks.Specifically, the Convention requires Parties to:

“assess the impacts of fishing, other human activities and environmental factors on target stocks, non-target species, and species belonging to the same ecosystem or dependent upon or associated with the target stocks”;