MSC pre-assessment

Participants confirmed

Workplan made available

The FIP has participated in several meetings, workshops and seminars between summer/ fall 2022

The FIP has created and presented a slideshow on how to handle and release bycatch and vulnerable species in conjunction with their observer training. 

The onboard observer program has begun to collect fishing effort information, including the total number of hooks at sea and the number of hooks lost per trip; a template of the data reporting format has been made available

A monitoring and traceability project is underway to implement EMS onboard vessels; a presentation on the proposal of the project has been made available

The final draft of the code of good practices has undergone stakeholder consultations and is now available.

Onboard observers have begun to collect and record seabird interaction logbook data 

The onboard observer programs continue to collect data on fishing activity to better understand the interaction and impact on the marine ecosystem; the available catch data has been summarized into a report which demonstrates that blue sharks are the most commonly caught incidental species. 

The development of the observer program is underway; the observers are in continuous discussion with the captains to determine a minimum catch size. 

At the 10th meeting of the IATTC, CIAT and the group discussed the minimum standards for implementing electronic monitoring on longline vessels.

Two separate onboard observer programs are now being implemented for the swordfish longline fishery with discussions on data sharing between two programs underway.