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Regional cooperation is reducing illegal, unreported and unregulated tuna fishing in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean

GEF-UNDP-FFA Pacific Oceanic Fisheries Management Programme

By IW:LEARN

December 16^th, 2021

Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is a global criminal activity resulting in direct loss of income for coastal states, negative impacts for fish populations and their ecosystems, and compromised fisheries management.

But the good news for Pacific tuna fisheries is that the estimated annual volume of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the Pacific has reduced over the past decade with only 5% due to illegal fishing of tuna, according to a recent Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) report [December 14, 2021].

The report estimated the total annual volume of tuna product harvested or transhipped in the Pacific involving IUU activity during 2017-19 to be 192,186 tonnes, worth some $333 million (ex-vessel value). This compares with a similar study conducted between 2010-15 where IUU was estimated at 306,440 tonnes, worth about $616 million.

“This result shows that the strong regional cooperation between FFA members on monitoring, control and surveillance is working,” says FFA’s Director General, Dr Manu Tupou-Roosen. “The Pacific tuna fishery covers a large body of water and our island states have limited resources, but it reinforces that our strategies are having a profound impact on the volume and nature of IUU in the Pacific.”

The first attempt at quantifying the value and volume of IUU fishing in tuna fisheries within the Pacific Islands region was undertaken for FFA in 2016 using data from 2010-2015 and was prepared by MRAG Asia Pacific and funded under the European Union’s Devfish 2 Project. MRAG also produced the follow up current study, this time funded by the Global Environment Facility under the FFA implemented Oceanic Fisheries Management project (OFMP2) which has recently completed and was jointly managed by UNDP and FAO.

The FFA Members EEZ’s and the WCPFC area. Image credit: FFA

Lead author of both studies, Duncan Souter from MRAG Asia Pacific agrees there are obvious and clear benefits from FFA’s regional cooperation.

“Our most recent study confirmed the results of the first study which shows that unlicensed fishing appears to be relatively well-controlled in the region, with estimates of IUU fishing dominated by the licensed fleet,” he says.

“This differs from some other parts of the world and reflects strategies in the Pacific like FFA’s Regional Vessel Register and Vessel Monitoring System, monitoring through the Regional Fisheries Surveillance Centre and coordinated regional surveillance operations.”

FFA’s Regional Fisheries Surveillance Centre. Photo credit: FFA

Mr Souter cautions that when comparing the results of the 2016 and 2021 reports it was important to keep in mind that some of the data used were different. Changes in fishing effort, catch rates and fish prices since 2016 also influenced overall estimates.

“The 2016 exercise was the first attempt to quantify the nature and scale of IUU in the Pacific. It was very much a first cut, which could be updated over time as data improved and circumstances changed,” he explains. “The 2020 study definitely had better data, but it’s the next evolution of an ongoing process.”

COVID and data from observers

Both studies extensively used observer data. Observers are people on board licenced fishing vessels or at ports to check, monitor and report on catch. Purse seine vessels have 100% observer coverage, longline vessels only 5%. The latest study (2017-19) happened prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in a temporary suspension in the use of observers in most circumstances. In response to the COVID challenges, small island developing states (SIDS) are adapting and modifying their MCS activities, including the further use of technologies such e-monitoring and e-reporting.

OFMP2 supported Pacific Community’s (SPC) research and capacity building of SIDS on e-monitoring and e-reporting.

Photo credit: Chris King/Unsplash

Regional cooperation is reducing illegal, unreported and unregulated tuna fishing in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean

Cut in IUU volume driven partly by better data to support estimates

The 2020 results show a considerable drop in estimated IUU compared to the ‘first cut’ estimation of 2016 where there was more uncertainty around data. This is due both to the increased monitoring undertaken by FFA members and technological developments such as e-monitoring and e-reporting. As a result, the 2020 study had some better data available to support some IUU estimates such as:

The volume of longline fishing misreporting, due to a more than 10-fold increase in monitoring of longline vessels unloading in FFA member ports; and
New information for estimating illegal transhipment (the unloading of fish from one ship to another for transport to market).

Mr. Souter says that there had been few studies of this kind around the world.

“The data collection arrangements in the Pacific are strong compared to other parts of the world,” he adds. “This cooperative monitoring means we can do a study like this, which is not the case in many other parts of the world.”

A well equipped Pacific Island Regional Fisheries Observer. Photo credit: FFA

Cooperation between FFA members and partners is reducing IUU

Several decades worth of cooperation between FFA members, their partners and regional secretariats, including in MCS, has had a profound impact on the nature and volume of IUU in the Pacific.

OFMP2 has been instrumental in fostering this cooperation and building the capacity of Pacific small island developing states to participate in monitoring, compliance and surveillance (MCS) operations.

“This level of MCS cooperation amongst small island States may be unique around the world,” says Mr Souter. “While it is hard to predict what the situation would be like without this cooperation in place, there is little doubt it has had a profound impact on the nature and scale of IUU in the Pacific.”

Cooperative MCS initiatives include:

The FFA Regional Vessel Register
Harmonised Minimum Terms and Conditions for foreign fishing vessels
FFA Vessel Monitoring System
Pacific Island Regional Fisheries Observers’ standards and training
The Niue Treaty and Subsidiary Arrangement facilitating MCS cooperation and information sharing
Coordinated Regional Surveillance Operations
Development of common regional data collection forms and protocols
Establishment of Pacific Maritime Security Program

These are underpinned by the FFA Regional Fisheries Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Strategy 2018 – 2023.

MCS in action – Fisheries Enforcement Officer on the job. Photo credit: Francisco Blaha

Head of the Ministry of Marine Resources in Cook Islands, Pamela Maru, says IUU quantification studies such as these are invaluable.

“Being able to provide reasonable estimates around illegal fishing has helped to reframe and focus where we put limited resources in our monitoring, compliance and surveillance schemes,” she explains.

“Additionally, we've developed a methodology from the 2016 [IUU quantification study] that can be replicated and has identified areas that we need to strengthen.”

Pacific IUU dominated by misreporting, mostly in purse seine fisheries

In the latest study (2017-19) misreporting of catch and harvest of tuna contributed an estimated 89% of the volume of IUU fishing.

Most of this misreporting was in the purse-seine fishing sector, where there is 100% observer coverage providing good independent estimates of catch. However, it can be challenging to identify species and estimate catch at sea due to the scale of the catches.

Only 5% of the overall estimated IUU volume was thought to be due to the various forms of unlicenced fishing. Few unlicensed fishing vessels were detected or prosecuted during the study period, except for incursions by illegal boats on the western fringe of the FFA area. Non-compliance with licence conditions and post-harvest regulations were each estimated to account for another 3% of IUU.

Purse-seine fishing in the Pacific accounts for most IUU by volume (worth some $152m), largely through misreporting. However, with 100% observer coverage for this fishery, any errors in catch reports can be picked up. Purse-seine vessels are also licensed to access the fishery through the Vessel Day Scheme, which means direct revenue loss associated with misreporting is likely to be negligible.

The study notes that the purse seine fishery is subject to comparatively strong MCS measures, but that future priorities could include:

Ensuring there are good systems in place to validate catch composition
Developing a catch documentation scheme, which identifies the provenance of tuna sold to market
Controlling use of Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) by registration and tracking, and setting up a FAD buoy register.

While there is less volume of IUU estimated for longline fisheries, their target tuna catch of big eye and southern albacore tuna is more valuable so IUU in these fisheries is worth more than half of the total estimated IUU by value (about $181m).

Volume of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing between 2017-219. Image credit: FFA

Need for stronger MCS for longline fisheries and transhipping

The study noted the need for a stronger MCS focus on longline fisheries. There is currently only 5% observer coverage on longline vessels.

A higher proportion of longline fishing compared to purse seining also occurs on the high seas, where vessels can tranship catch, often with very limited monitoring in place.

“Monitoring of longline fishing could be improved through a stronger observer program and online e-monitoring,” says My Souter. “Longline vessels are often small, and it is often difficult to get observers onboard so e-monitoring the catch with cameras has real potential to strengthen monitoring of this fishery.”

Further strategies for validating the volume and species of tuna in longline fisheries include:

Strengthening the effectiveness of the transhipment observer program;
Wider use of electronic reporting
Developing a catch documentation scheme.

“FFA members are implementing stronger MCS measures for their domestic longline vessels, including a 10-fold increase in monitoring of longline fishing vessels unloading at FFA ports,” said Dr Tupou-Roosen.

“They are strongly advocating through the WCPFC for more effective monitoring of all longline fishing in the Convention Area, including on the high seas.”

About GEF-UNDP-FFA Oceanic Fisheries Management Project II

The Oceanic Fisheries Management Project (OFMP II) was designed to achieve systematic, sustained changes in fishing patterns and on-the-water behaviour at regional, sub-regional and national levels. Achieving these changes will result in the conservation and sustainable use of the Western and Central Pacific Oceanic fisheries. The project was completed as of 30th September 2021. GEF, UNDP and FFA are planning to commence a new five-year GEF funded OFMP project early in 2022.

For more information on this project, please contact the former OFMP II Project Coordinator, Hugh Walton (hugh.walton@ffa.int). Additionally, please access the project website and the dedicated project page on iwlearn.net.