FishSource

Sri Lanka tuna and swordfish - longline (FIP)

Last Updated:

Progress Rating: C

Evaluation Start Date: 2018-05-18

Type: Comprehensive

Status: Active

FIP Lead: Seafood Exporters' Association of Sri Lanka (SEASL), Pelagikos Private Limited (PPL)

Stock Profile Link
Bigeye tuna - Indian Ocean
Swordfish - Indian Ocean
Yellowfin tuna - Indian Ocean

Comments:

The last stage 4/5 is now 12-24 months old, with recent stage 3 progress reported within the past 6 months. FIP drops to C rating.

1. FIP Development	Mar 18	Fishery assessment or scoping document made public 1 March 2018 — MSC pre-assessment document
2. FIP Launch	May 18	Confirmation of project participants 18 May 2018 — SEASL MFAR MoU
2. FIP Launch	Dec 18	Workplan made public 17 December 2018 — FIP Implementation & Investment Plan updated 21 April 2018 — FIP implementation and investment plan 2018
3. FIP Implementation	Jul 22	FIP activities undertaken 4 July 2022 — FIP participated in several recent IOTC meetings as a member state 6 April 2021 — Several working groups and technical committes held over spring 2021 19 February 2021 — Sri Lanka co-sponsoured a proposal on the management of fish aggregating devices with the Kenya at the IOTC’s 4th Special Session of the IOTC Commission 1 February 2021 — The third deployment of local observers was completed during the reporting period on the western and southern coast. 1 December 2020 — The FIP presented a paper on the local observer programme as an alternative to method to collect independently verifiable information and scientific data in compliance with IOTC Resolution 11/04 on a regional observer programme 19 October 2020 — A paper entitled ‘An application of length-based assessment methods to Indian Ocean fisheries for yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacores) between 1955 and 2015: implications for sustainable fisheries management’ was presented by the FIP Coordinator at the 22nd Working Party on Tropical Tunas meeting 14 October 2020 — The FIP attended several meetings over the fall of 2020 30 June 2020 — Narrative report produced for the Local (Crew-based) Observer Programme 10 February 2020 — Officers of the DFAR and NARA participated in several IOTC meetings pertaining to the status of YFT, BET and SWO stocks during the past 12 months 2 December 2019 — An Officer DFAR attended the 22nd Scientific Committee held between 2nd and 6th December in Karachi, Pakistan. 9 September 2019 — Officers from NARA attended the 17th Session of the IOTC working party on billfish, held in La Renuion between 9th and 12th of September. 21 June 2019 — Officers from the DFAR attended the 3rd Session of the IOTC technical committee on management procedures, held in Hyderabad (India) on the 14h June. 24 May 2019 — In February the FIP commenced collection of length, sex and weight data for non-conventional assessment of target species’ stock status. 9 April 2019 — The series of consultation workshop scheduled by DFAR on the new SLNPOA Sharks (2018 – 2022) was successfully completed by DFAR with technical assistance from the NARA, in collaboration with officers and staff of five District Fisheries Offices and 200 fishermen on the western (Negombo and Kalutara), southern (Matara), eastern (Batticaloa) and northern (Jaffna) during the reporting period. 11 March 2019 — Officers from the DFAR and the National Aquatic Resources, Research and Development Agency (NARA) together with representatives of the SEASL attended the IOTC’s Technical Committee on Allocation Criteria (TCAC), held in Victoria, Seychelles on the 11th March. 13 February 2019 — The IOTC’s Working Party on the Implementation of Conservation and Management Measures (WPICMM) held its second meeting in Maputo, Mozambique on the 13th February. The IOTC Working Party was attended on behalf of the FIP by a representative from DFAR. 29 November 2018 — In November / December (see SEAPACT below) a representative of DFAR attended the IOTC’s 14th Working Party on Data Collection & Statistics (WPDC14). 4 October 2018 — In October representatives from DFAR and NARA attended the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) 20th Working Party on Tropical Tunas (WPTT20) 9th Working Party on Methods (WPM09). The Working Party meeting. 1 October 2018 — Technical training and capacity building for scientists and fishery managers on IOTC stock assessment methods, harvest strategy evaluation and stock assessment of FIP target species using non-conventional stock assessment methods. 1 July 2018 — National Plan of Action - Sharks. 1 April 2018 — Prepare funding proposal to introduce and evaluate the potential of a 'crew based observer programme' on small scale offshore and high-seas fishing vessels.
4. Improvements in Fishing Practices and Fishery Management	Jul 21	Verifiable improvement in policy/management and fishing practices 26 July 2021 — Increase in PI 2.3.3; There is a system in place to collect data from multi-day fishing boats in Sri Lanka 26 July 2021 — Increase to PI 3.2.2; The IOTC have defined a clear decision-making process based off of consensus 26 July 2021 — Increase in PI 3.2.3; Sanctions are enough deterrent for the fishers to comply with the regulations and systematic non-compliance is minimal 26 July 2021 — Increase to PI 3.2.1; strategy for management is to ensure the fishery resources are conserved along with maximizing economic benefit from the resources 26 July 2021 — Increase in PI 2.5.3; Information is adequate to broadly understand the key elements of the Sri Lankan ecosystem. Adequate information on the impacts of UoA on ecosystem can be inferred. 26 July 2021 — Increase in PI 2.5.2; Sri Lanka’s National Development Policies incorporates conservation and protection of coastal and offshore environments. FIP has considerably improved reporting and monitoring procedures. 10 May 2021 — A new IOTC Resolution (21/01) on an interim plan for rebuilding the Indian Ocean yellowfin tuna stock in the IOTC Area of competence, was adopted at the 25th Session of the Commission 1 June 2020 — The results of the current phase of the local observer programme further demonstrate the effectiveness of the LOP to collect independently verifiable catch and other scientific data related to fisheries from Sri Lanka’s large fleet of small-scale longline fishing vessels, which fish outside Sri Lanka’s EEZ 19 September 2019 — The Local (Crew-based) Observer Programme was successfully completed by members of the FIP during the reporting period.
5. Improvements on the Water	Jul 21	Verifiable improvement on the water 26 July 2021 — Increase in PI 2.3.1; There are no national and/or international requirements that set limits for the ETP species that interact with the Sri Lankan Tuna Fishery. IFP has significantly increased the its information on ETP species. 26 July 2021 — Increase in PI 2.2.1; there are no main secondary species in the fishery 26 July 2021 — Increase in PI 2.4.1; Tuna longline fishery operates in the open waters, therefore interaction with the seabed is almost ni
6. MSC certification (optional)	—	MSC certificate made public