Fisheries managers around the world should advance electronic monitoring programs in 2022
Fisheries managers around the world have an opportunity this year to make progress in applying new technologies to expand and improve the monitoring of fishing activities. Five Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) are collectively responsible for managing tuna fisheries in over 90% of the world’s oceans. Worth $40 billion a year at the final point of sale, these fisheries are incredibly valuable and require strong management and oversight.
RFMOs therefore need reliable data on catches, bycatch, fishing effort and regulatory compliance to help ensure the sustainability of global tuna populations. One technology that can help is electronic monitoring (EM), cameras and computer systems on vessels that can increase the transparency and traceability of fishing activities and complement existing RFMO requirements for human observers. Properly designed SE programs would help increase coverage and ensure that the information collected is effectively transmitted, analysed, stored and shared among fisheries stakeholders.
RFMOs continue to develop EM standards and programs
By 2020, the four largest tuna RFMOs had already started designing MS programs and standards, which provide the guidelines to ensure that accurate information is collected and shared by parties involved in a fishery. And RFMOs continue to make progress despite the ongoing pandemic, which has forced them to hold more virtual meetings, often with limited discussion time (see Table 1). Their work is not done and RFMOs need to finalize EM standards this year so that this technology can be implemented in their fisheries.
Table 1
Progress of electronic monitoring program in four tuna RFMOs
| RFMO | Progress to date | What to do in 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) | In 2021, the IATTC held two SE workshops to discuss a work plan for the development of an SE program for the Eastern Pacific Ocean, which was approved at the Commission’s annual meeting in August , and recommendations for the institutional structures, objectives and scope of an RFMO-wide MS program. | The Commission will hold workshops on management considerations for the MA and technical standards and data collection priorities, with the results of these discussions to be discussed at the 2022 annual Commission meeting. |
| International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) | In 2021, at the ICCAT annual meeting, members agreed to establish a Commission-wide MS Working Group. This new working group complements an EM Science Working Group and will develop an EM program that meets scientific and compliance needs. | The two working groups will meet this year to develop draft standards which should be based on the objectives set by ICCAT for application and collection of scientific data. |
| Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) | In 2021, the IOTC ME Standards Working Group met for the first time and developed recommendations, including terms of reference for the group, which were endorsed by the Scientific Committee and the Task Force. work on IOTC data collection and statistics. | The working group will develop minimum data standards and program standards in collaboration with scientists, managers, ES providers and other stakeholders. This will include program objectives, roles and responsibilities, minimum technical specifications, and arrangements for how data is transferred and analyzed. |
| Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) | In 2021, WCPFC members tasked its EM working group to finalize the standards for consideration by the Commission in 2022. | In 2022, the EM Working Group will review and finalize the standards before presenting them to the WCPFC 2022 Annual Commission Meeting for discussion. |
How RFMOs can develop and implement effective MS programs
To support the development of EM standards and broader EM programs, Pew has developed a toolkit for RFMO members and interested stakeholders. These fact sheets highlight several key elements that RFMOs should consider, including:
- Program objectives: Defining clear objectives for the program will guide the overall design and help determine coverage levels.
- Stakeholder outreach and communication: Coordinated engagement is essential throughout the design, development, and implementation of the EM program to transfer lessons, develop solutions, improve transparency, and gain buy-in.
- Program structure and review: Whether RFMOs decide on a centralized RFMO-wide ES program or a set of sub-regional and national ES programs, a regular review process is essential to any structure. of SE to continually improve the program.
- Data collection, transmission and storage: Standards should detail how data is collected, reviewed, transmitted and stored.
- Data review and confidentiality: EM program standards must also protect data confidentiality and crew confidentiality.
Additionally, stakeholders need to think about how to exchange and share information (i.e. interoperability), especially as many vessels operate in multiple RFMO areas. Data sharing helps to ensure that vessels can use the same EM systems while meeting the requirements of each RFMO and allows for easier integration with other data streams.
Seafood companies and other market partners can also contribute to SE implementation by engaging in policies that promote better oversight and respond to growing consumer demand for sustainability. By advocating for the development, adoption and implementation of strong ME programs, fishers, processors and retailers can help ensure a steady supply of sustainable fish for the global market.
Managers and other fisheries stakeholders should continue to modernize and improve fisheries management by increasing transparency and accountability, which would benefit fishers and other members of the seafood supply chain as well as to the authorities. EM programs provide a way to supplement human observer coverage and extend monitoring to fleets that are not independently monitored. In 2021, RFMOs made progress towards developing SE programs. In 2022, these working groups must continue to integrate strong ES requirements into the important work of effective fisheries monitoring.
Raiana McKinney is Senior Associate and Esther Wozniak is Senior Associate of The Pew Charitable Trusts International Fisheries Project.