Scientific Committee Third Regular Session) in Scientific Research on the Use of Modified Fishing Gear to Reduce Longline Bycatch of Sea Turtles Wcpfc-sc3-eb Swg/wp-7

SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE THIRD REGULAR SESSION 13-24 August 2007 Honolulu, United States of America PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES OF HISTORICAL VARIATIONS IN THE FISHING POWER AND CATCHABILITY OF PELAGIC LONGLINE FISHING GEAR WCPFC-SC3-ME SWG/WP-7

I quantify the effects of 11 variables on the catchability of pelagic longlines, which are used to catch tunas and billfishes in the open ocean. Extension of the depth range and the duration of longline operations have reduced the catchability of several epipelagic species, such as mako sharks (Isurus spp.), since industrial longlining commenced in the tropical Pacific Ocean in the early 1950s....

SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE THIRD REGULAR SESSION 13-24 August 2007 Honolulu, United States of America RECORDING SEABIRD BYCATCH IN LONGLINE OBSERVER PROGRAMS WCPFC-SC3-EB SWG/WP-6

This paper discusses best practice for collecting seabird bycatch data in pelagic longline observer programs. The paper recognizes that key challenges for WCPFC include: • The levels of observer coverage needed for recording and monitoring bycatch of non-target species such as seabirds, which typically have high variability in CPUE • The need to divide observer time between a range of tasks • T...

SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE THIRD REGULAR SESSION 13-24 August 2007 Honolulu, United States of America Spatio-temporal patterns of purse seine catches of skipjack and juvenile bigeye and yellowfin tuna caught in association with floating objects WCPFC-SC3-SA SWG/WP-04

SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE THIRD REGULAR SESSION 13-24 August 2007 Honolulu, United States of America REDUCING PARAMETER COMPLEXITY IN MULTIFAN-CL STOCK ASSESSMENTS: CATCH CONDITIONING WCPFC-SC3-ME SWG/WP-2

SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE THIRD REGULAR SESSION 13-24 August 2007 Honolulu, United States of America Quantifying the impact of longline fisheries on adult survival in the black-footed albatross WCPFC-SC3-EB SWG/IP-4

1. Industrial longline fishing has been suspected to impact upon black-footed albatross populations Phoebastria nigripes by increasing mortality, but no precise estimates of bycatch mortality are available to ascertain this statement. We present a general framework for quantifying the relationship between albatross population and longline fishing in absence of reliable estimates of bycatch rate...