MSC pre-assesment made public

Participant list confirmed

Workplan made public

Installation of EM systems onboard FIP vessels is underway.

The FIP produced a waste management questionnaire for Capsen and Grand Bleu to complete in order to learn more about their current waste management strategies and the estimated weight of the waste that is produced by the FIP vessels. The FIP also conducted a site visit to Senegal to discuss the plans for the waste management policy.

The FIP has updated its Fins Naturally Attached policy which highlights and clarifies that shark finning in the fishery is prohibited and sharks must be landed with their fins naturally attached.

Capsen and Satlink have signed an agreement to initiate the installation of EM systems onboard the FIP vessels.

Capsen has made their current FAD policy available

The FIP continues to lobby ICCAT and has produced position statements ahead of the May 2022 Panel 1 meeting and plenary meeting planned for November 2022. 

The FIP has held meetings with the Guniea and Liberian Fisheries Ministries to request data/ information about the (P3) management practices and policies in place in the coastal states.

A formal observer training session was conducted and observers were educated on the importance of recording species-specific data; topics discussed included the proper recording of individual weights and the condition of the individual upon release. 

African Coastal Countries' signed signatory statement; the signatory states compliance with an initiative to maintain FAD closures for three months and set a limit on the number of FADs to 300 per vessel.

A position statement has been written, reviewed, and sent to ICCAT; the statement asks for the development of re-building strategies and recommends a precautionary TAC for bigeye tuna at <61,500t.

Draft report on principle III made available; Key Traceability prepared a report to review the coastal states associated with the fishery, against the MSC standard to address the actions listed under Principle 3.

Stock assessment meeting was held to discuss the new stock assessment that was conducted for bigeye in 2021; assessment data has been made available within the meeting report.

FAD performance report made available which outlines the progress of the FAD implementation across the FIP. 

Ecological trap hypothesis of FADs study completed

The FIP has collected catch data representing the landings of six vessels between 2016 and 2020.

The FIP produced a position statement to the ICCAT ahead of the annual meeting (which has now been cancelled) advocating for stock status and rebuilding for Atlantic bigeye. 

A FAD Policy of Intent has been agreed by all stakeholders. 

The FIP has installed electric monitoring systems across the fleet. 

The FIP has produced and updated its Sustainable Fisheries Policy which now includes a new shark finning policy that prohibits finning across all vessels.

Senegalese observer program now using e-catch reporting via catch data templates whihc have been installed on the Samsung tablets (change in practice)

The FIP has adopted a FAD policy on the use of non-entangling and biodegradable FADs.