Frigate tuna

No stock assessment of Auxis thazard off Ecuador has ever been conducted and there is currently no information on the stock status. Three acoustic surveys have been recently conducted (March and November 2018, March 2019) providing updated information on abundance and biomass.

The monitoring and analysis of fisheries and landings involving the harvesting of small pelagic fishes conducted by the purse seine fleet of Ecuador was started in 1981 by the National Institute of Fisheries of Ecuador (INP) through the Small Pelagic Fishes Program. The limited resources of this Institution, however, has prevented conducting regular scientific surveys, and advice is therefore provided based on sampling at fish markets and estimation of effort based on the information provided by the vessels and harbor records. Advice is provided in the Annual Reports of the Fishery for Small Pelagics produced by INP. These Reports include a summary of the catches (not only biomass but also size structure or sex ratio for some species) but no formal stock assessments are performed. Advice in last years  (González et al. 2008)(Prado España 2009)  included technical measures such as the establishment of minimum landing sizes for small pelagic fishes in Ecuador (it was reported that for some species most of the individuals captured are below the size at 50% maturity); mesh size regulation (although no specific advice was provided for frigate tuna); the establishment of temporal closures in the spawning season (for all small pelagic fish); and the regulation or ban of the use of lights for fishing which attract undersized individuals and non-target species. A recent report (INAPESCA 2019) advised a minimum landing size of 26.2 cm (fork length) and a modification of the fishing ban season. The new proposed period is 17 February-23 March and 1 October-30 November (INAPESCA 2019)​. 

There are no reference points in place for frigate tuna in Ecuador. 

The current status of frigate tuna in Ecuador is unknown. The only available information is from fishing logbooks (INAPESCA 2019) and two acoustic survey conducted in March 2018 and November 2018 (INAPESCA 2018) (INAPESCA 2018) which yielded the following estimates

A recent survey were conducted in March 2019 but results are not publicly available yet.

During 1998-2005, there was great interannual variability in the landings with low values <10,000 tonnes followed by high values (e.g. 1999 and 2003) with landings >35,000 tonnes. During the period 2006-2015, landings were characterized by a steady increase from ~13,000 tonnes in 2006 to 64,532 tonnes in 2015, the highest value in the series. Catches in 2017 (last year for which data is available) were 60,166.6 tonnes (INAPESCA 2018), representing the second-most important species in terms of biomass in the Ecuadorian Fishery for Small Pelagic Fishes. 

In the past some authors have raised concern about the possibility that the monitoring of Ecuadorian fisheries has not been comprehensive and that the statistics are questionable and under-reported (Patterson et al. 1993)(Alava et al. 2005)  although there is no information to conclude if this issue may still persist at present. 

The Law of Fisheries and Fisheries Development (Gobierno de Ecuador 1974) is the Law that regulates fishing activities in Ecuador. Management of the Fishery for Small Pelagics (including frigate tuna) occurring in Ecuadorian national waters is conducted by the Subsecretary of Fishery Resources (Subsecretaria de Recursos Pesqueros) which belongs to the Ministry of Aquaculture and Fisheries (Ministerio de Acuacultura y Pesca; MAP). A new Law of Fisheries and Aquaculture is in draft stage (February 2019). When this Law is approved, the Fishing Authority will be the entity responsible for management of Ecuadorian fisheries and aquaculture activities. 

Frigate tuna in Ecuador is not managed through TACs or catch quotas. Managers has adopted some, but not all, of the technical measures proposed by the INP in the last years. Minimum landing sizes have not been established in spite of the INP repeatedly reporting high percentage of catches of several small pelagic species being smaller than the size at 50% maturity (González et al. 2008). Management of frigate tuna in Ecuador consist of temporal closures ( historically in March and September each year; (MAGAP 2010) but recently adjusted to March and 24 October – 8 December 2018 (MAP 2018) (MAP 2018)), spatial closures (except for recreational and particular traditional fisheries, the first mile from coast is closed to fishing in order to protect the reproduction of aquatic species (MAP 2003) and (MAP 2007); first eight miles from coast are reserved for artisanal fisheries; (MAP 1990) and a minimum mesh size of 1,5 inches for purse seiners targeting frigate tuna and other small pelagic species in Ecuador (MAP 2010). Bycatch by purse seiners targeting small pelagic species in Ecuador cannot exceed 20% (MAGAP 2011). In addition, the use of artificial lights ("pantallas") for fisheries purposes is banned (MAGAP 2011). A fisheries observer program is in place covering at least 30% of the fishing trips (MAGAP 2010).

Ecuador is a Member Country of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO) since 2015. As such it is committed to apply all the conservation and management measures (CMM) established by the SPRFMO. Currently, there are fifteen CMMs in place detailing various provisions such as the application of technical measures or output and input controls, requirements for data collection and reporting, as well as regulations for monitoring, control and surveillance and enforcement. However, Ecuadorian purse seiners seem to operate only in national jurisdictional waters where SPRFMO CMM’s do not apply. 

There are no TAC or quotas set for the frigate tuna fishery in Ecuador. Fishing activities in Ecuadorian national waters are regulated by the Law of Fisheries and Fisheries Development  (Gobierno de Ecuador 1974), which set the penalties for violations of the regulations and acts included in that Law and which includes economic fines, withdrawal of fishing permits or imprisonment. Compliance with regulations is enforced through inspections at harbors and directly on board of commercial vessels by fisheries observers. The new Law of Fisheries and Aquaculture which is in draft stage (February 2019) will set the new legal framework for compliance and enforcement in Ecuadorian fisheries, including a wide array of penalties such as withdrawal of fishing license, confiscation of fishing products, economic fines and immobilization of the vessel. This new Law also specifies that compliance will be enforced through VMS monitoring, on-board observers, inspection of landings, image recording systems among others.  

The magnitude of IUU fishing and compliance to current fishing regulations are largely unknown but there are evidences of industrial fishing vessels operating with the eight miles reserved for artisanal fishing (INAPESCA 2018).

Purse seine fisheries have some interactions with sea turtles, but far less than longline fisheries (Ministerio del Ambiente del Ecuador 2014). There is a permanent ban on turtle capture in Ecuador (Acuerdo Ministerial 212, 1990). In 2007 fisheries observers from the INP reported that in 10 trips, three turtles were captured and released alive. Although there is no information on which specific turtle species interact with purse seiners in Ecuador, all the five marine turtles of Ecuador can be considered ETP species: the green turtle Chelonia mydas (IUCN classification: "endangered"), the olive ridley sea turtle Lepidochelys olivacea ("vulnerable"), the hawksbill sea turtle Eretmochelys imbrincata ("critically endangered"), the leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea ("vulnerable") and the loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta ("vulnerable"). These species are included in the National Plan for Sea Turtles of Ecuador (Ministerio del Ambiente del Ecuador 2014), which aims to take the actions needed for the conservation of the sea turtles and their essential habitats in Ecuador, including the implementation of a plan to assess the interaction between coastal purse seiners and sea turtles in Ecuador and the establishment of a plan to reduce the impact of coastal purse seiner on sea turtles.

There is very little information on the interaction between Ecuadorian purse seiners targeting small pelagic species and sharks, although it has been reported that some bycatch of small sharks and rays can occur (Coello 2005). The National Plan for Sharks (Aguilar et al. 2005) is being implemented as a way to improve the conservation of sharks and rays and reduce the accidental catch of these species by industrial and artisanal fishing boats. 

Among all the marine mammals reported to have some interaction with Ecuadorian fisheries (reviewed in (Félix et al. 2007)), the sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus is the only ETP species ("vulnerable" according to IUCN). However the interaction between purse seines targeting small pelagic species in Ecuador and marine mammals is considered negligible (MAP 2018).

The Fishery for Small Pelagics in Ecuador is a multispecific fishery. The list of main target species varies depending on the source but main species according to the National Institute of Fisheries of Ecuador are: Scomber japonicus (chub mackerel), Ophistonema spp. (thread herring), Cetengraulis mysticetus (Pacific Anchoveta), Sardinops sagax (South American pilchard) and Etrumeus sardina (red-eye round herring). Other small pelagic species like Decapterus macrosoma (shortfin scad), Selene oerstedii (Mexican moonfish), Chloroscombrus orqueta (Pacific bumper), Peprilus medius (Pacific harvestfish),  Engraulis ringens (Anchoveta), Auxis thazard (frigate tuna) and Trachurus murphy (Chilean jack mackerel) are considered bycatch.

In the last years, however, some of the small pelagic species considered as secondary or bycatch have shown a marked increase in catches. For instance, frigate tuna was the second most important species in terms of captured biomass in 2014 and 2015. Catch data statistics from 2014 and 2015 (MAGAP 2017) revealed that main target species represented 52.2% (2014) and 60.1% (2015) while secondary species accounted for the rest.

There are no reference points for any bycatch species of the Fishery for Small Pelagic Fishes of Ecuador. Bycatch by purse seiners targeting small pelagic species in Ecuador cannot exceed 20% (MAGAP 2011). However, no compliance information about this measure are available.

There is very detailed information on seafloor types (Terán et al. 2006) off Ecuador and most priority habitats such as coral reefs or mangrove swamps have been identified and mapped by the Ministry of the Environment and made available through the Environmental Interactive Map in 2015. However, there is no information on the impacts of purse seiners targeting small pelagic species in Ecuador, on bottom habitats. Since this is a pelagic gear, it could be assumed that the impact is negligible. However in some years there are considerable catches of species such as the Pacific bumper (Chloroscombrus orqueta) or searobins (Prionotus spp.) that live close to the bottom meaning that either the purse seines are higher that legally allowed and cover the whole water column or vessels operate very close to the shoreline (Prado España 2009). In both cases, an impact on seabed habitats might take place, but the magnitude of such an impact has not been evaluated. Alternatively demersal species may be attracted to the surface by artifical lights, although this practice is banned since 2011 (MAGAP 2011).

There is no habitat management strategy for seafloor habitats in Ecuador, however there are some measures in place. For instance, the first mile from coast is closed to fishing to protect the reproduction of species and indirectly the bottom habitats. The first eight miles from coast are reserved for artisanal fishing and industrial activities are prohibited (MAP 1990). However, no compliance information about these measures is available. A network of 21 Coastal and Marine Natural Protected Areas (AMCPs) was created in 2017 (Ministerio del Ambiente del Ecuador 2017).

The pelagic ecosystem in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean has been object of research and it is well described. Models have been developed in the past to describe the ecosystem dynamics, structure and functioning in relation to tuna fisheries (Olson and Watters 2003). The frigate tuna and other Auxis species are identified as a key element of the Eastern Pacific Pelagic ecosystem (Olson and Watters 2003), so harvesting this species may potentially disrupt the ecosystem structure and function. However there is no enough data to understand if this fishery may cause serious or irreversible harm to the whole ecosystem as the specific impact of the fishery of small pelagic fishes was not assessed in the model.

Ecosystem based fisheries management is not implemented for this fishery. Instead, the fishery for Small Pelagic Fishes in Ecuador is managed through spatial and temporal closures and some technical restrictions like mesh size limits. Since the small pelagic targeted by this fishery are key elements of the Eastern Pacific pelagic ecosystem, those fishery management tools may benefit the ecosystem as a whole. There is little or no information on the enforcement of such measures but some lack of compliance with the seasonal fishing bans have been reported in the past for several small pelagic species (Prado España 2009).