Talley's New Zealand Skipjack Tuna Purse Seine Surveillance Report
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Marine Stewardship Council fisheries assessments Lloyd’s Register 6 Redheughs Rigg South Gyle Edinburgh, EH12 9DQ United Kingdom T +44 (0)131 619 2100 E fisheries-ca@lr.org www.lr.org Talley’s New Zealand Skipjack Tuna Purse Seine Surveillance Report Conformity Assessment Body (CAB) Acoura Marine t/a Lloyd’s Register Assessment team Jo Akroyd & Kevin McLoughlin Fishery client Talley’s Group Limited Assessment type Third Surveillance Date January 2021 Lloyd’s Register, LR and any variants are trading names of Lloyd’s Register Group Limited, its subsidiaries and affiliates. Acoura Marine: trading as Lloyd's Register (Reg. no. SC313289). Registered office: 50 Lothian Road, Festival Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9WJ. Registered in Scotland. A member of the Lloyd’s Register group. MSC FCP v2.2 SA Reporting Template v2.1 LR July 2020 Page 1 of 41 www.lr.org
Lloyd’s Register 3rd Surveillance Report Talleys New Zealand Skipjack Tuna Purse Seine Contents Contents .................................................................................................................................................. 2 List of Figures........................................................................................................................................ 3 List of Tables ......................................................................................................................................... 3 1 Glossary ..................................................................................................................................... 4 2 Executive summary .................................................................................................................... 5 3 Report details ............................................................................................................................. 6 3.1 Surveillance information............................................................................................. 6 3.2 Background ................................................................................................................ 8 Changes in management system .............................................................................................. 8 Changes in relevant regulations ................................................................................................ 8 Changes to personnel involved in science, management or industry ....................................... 9 Changes to scientific base of information, including stock assessments .................................. 9 3.3 Version details ......................................................................................................... 15 4 Results ..................................................................................................................................... 16 4.1 Surveillance results overview................................................................................... 16 4.1.1 Summary of conditions .................................................................................................. 16 4.1.2 Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and catch data ................................................................ 17 4.1.3 Recommendations ........................................................................................................ 17 4.2 Re-scoring Performance Indicators ......................................................................... 17 4.3 Conditions ................................................................................................................ 25 4.3.1 Closed Conditions ......................................................................................................... 25 4.3.2 Progress against conditions .......................................................................................... 26 4.4 Client Action Plan ..................................................................................................... 32 4.5 References ............................................................................................................... 33 5 Appendices .............................................................................................................................. 35 5.1 Evaluation processes and techniques ..................................................................... 35 5.1.1 Site visits ....................................................................................................................... 35 5.1.2 Stakeholder participation ............................................................................................... 35 5.2 Stakeholder input ..................................................................................................... 36 5.3 Revised surveillance program ................................................................................. 37 5.4 Harmonised fishery assessments ............................................................................ 38 6 Template information and copyright ......................................................................................... 41 Lloyd’s Register, LR and any variants are trading names of Lloyd’s Register Group Limited, its subsidiaries and affiliates. Acoura Marine: trading as Lloyd's Register (Reg. no. SC313289). Registered office: 50 Lothian Road, Festival Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9WJ. Registered in Scotland. A member of the Lloyd’s Register group. MSC FCP v2.2 SA Reporting Template v2.1 LR July 2020 Page 2 of 41 www.lr.org
Lloyd’s Register 3rd Surveillance Report Talleys New Zealand Skipjack Tuna Purse Seine List of Figures Figure 1. WCPO skipjack catch (t) by year. (Source: Williams and Ruaia, 2020) ....................................................... 10 Figure 2. Distribution of skipjack tuna catch 1990-2019. (Source: Williams and Ruaia, 2020) ................................... 10 Figure 3. Distribution of purse seine effort and catch (tonnes per one degree square) in 2019 (Source: Talley’s, 2020). ........................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Figure 4. Kobe plot for the recent spawning potential (2015-2018) summarizing the results for each of the models in the structural uncertainty grid. The plots represent estimates of stock status in terms of spawning potential depletion and fishing mortality and marginal distributions of each are presented. Brown triangle indicates the median of the estimates. The size of the circle relates to the weight of that particular model run. Source: WCPFC-SC, 2019 ........ 12 Figure 5. Progress towards implementing the skipjack harvest strategy. Dark green shading indicates substantial progress has been made; light green indicates work is currently underway; orange indicates work has not yet begun. Adapted from WCPFC16-2019-09. .................................................................................................................. 28 List of Tables Table 1. Surveillance information ................................................................................................................................... 6 Table 2. Updates to CMMs adopted by WCPFC in 2019. Source: WCPFC, 2019 ....................................................... 8 Table 3. Skipjack catch (t) in the New Zealand EEZ. Year = New Zealand fishing year, 1 October to 30 September10 Table 4. Catch composition from five observed purse seine trips during the 2018 and 2019 financial years (Talley’s, 2020). ........................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Table 5. Commercial reported protected spinetail devil ray interactions in the skipjack purse seine fishery over the last five financial years (Talley’s, 2020). ...................................................................................................................... 14 Table 6. Fisheries program documents versions ......................................................................................................... 15 Table 7. Summary of conditions .................................................................................................................................. 16 Table 8. Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and catch data ................................................................................................. 17 Table 9. Re-scoring of PI 2.3.2 .................................................................................................................................... 17 Table 10. Principal level scores ................................................................................................................................... 24 Table 11. Condition 3 - Closed .................................................................................................................................... 25 Table 12. Condition 1 ................................................................................................................................................... 26 Table 13. Condition 2 ................................................................................................................................................... 31 Table 14. Overlapping fisheries ................................................................................................................................... 39 Table 15. Overlapping fisheries Principle 1 scores ...................................................................................................... 39 Table 16. Rationale for scoring differences ................................................................................................................. 40 Lloyd’s Register, LR and any variants are trading names of Lloyd’s Register Group Limited, its subsidiaries and affiliates. Acoura Marine: trading as Lloyd's Register (Reg. no. SC313289). Registered office: 50 Lothian Road, Festival Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9WJ. Registered in Scotland. A member of the Lloyd’s Register group. MSC FCP v2.2 SA Reporting Template v2.1 LR July 2020 Page 3 of 41 www.lr.org
Lloyd’s Register 3rd Surveillance Report Talleys New Zealand Skipjack Tuna Purse Seine 1 Glossary BMSY Biomass that enables a fish stock to deliver the maximum sustainable yield CAP Client Action Plan CAB Conformity Assessment Body CCMs Commission Members, Cooperating non-Members, and participating Territories CMM Conservation and Management Measure CoC Chain of Custody CoP Code of Practice DoC New Zealand Department of Conservation ETP Endangered, Threatened or Protected species FAD Fish Aggregating Device FMSY Fishing mortality rate at the level that would produce maximum sustainable yield from a stock that has size of BMSY FNZ Fisheries New Zealand FCR MSC Fisheries Certification Requirements HCR Harvest Control Rule HMS Highly Migratory Species Section of FNZ IATTC Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission ISSF International Seafood Sustainability Foundation LRP Limit Reference Point MPI New Zealand Ministry of Primary Industries MSC Marine Stewardship Council MSY Maximum Sustainable Yield, the largest average catch that can be continuously taken from a stock under existing environmental conditions NGO Non-government Organisation PNA Parties to the Nauru Agreement RFMO Regional Fisheries Management Organization SB Spawning Biomass SC Scientific Committee of the WCPFC SKJ Skipjack tuna SPC Secretariat of the Pacific Community (formerly South Pacific Commission) SSB Spawning Stock Biomass (female biomass in the assessment) TAC Total Allowable Catch TCC Technical Compliance Committee of the WCPFC TRP Target Reference Point UoA Unit of Assessment UoC Unit of Certification VMS Vessel Monitoring System WCPFC Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission WCPO Western and Central Pacific Ocean Lloyd’s Register, LR and any variants are trading names of Lloyd’s Register Group Limited, its subsidiaries and affiliates. Acoura Marine: trading as Lloyd's Register (Reg. no. SC313289). Registered office: 50 Lothian Road, Festival Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9WJ. Registered in Scotland. A member of the Lloyd’s Register group. MSC FCP v2.2 SA Reporting Template v2.1 LR July 2020 Page 4 of 41 www.lr.org
Lloyd’s Register 3rd Surveillance Report Talleys New Zealand Skipjack Tuna Purse Seine 2 Executive summary This report constitutes the 3rd annual surveillance of Talley’s New Zealand Skipjack Tuna Purse Seine Fishery since certification in 2017. The audit is undertaken in accordance with MSC Fisheries Certification Process (FCP) v.2.2 which became effective on 25th September 2020. The objectives of the surveillance audit are: • To review any changes to the fishery and its management; • To evaluate performance in relation to any Conditions of Certification; • To review any developments or changes within the fishery which impact traceability and the ability to segregate MSC from non-MSC products; • To review any other significant changes in the fishery. Conditions are in place for performance indicators 1.2.1 and 1.2.2. These conditions are common to several MSC certified WCPO tuna fisheries and scoring of these performance indicators is harmonised for these fisheries (see Section 5.4). A ‘hard deadline’ has been agreed by CABs for these conditions to be closed. Closing of the conditions is subject to progress in the development of and agreement on appropriate harvest strategies by WCPFC. Progress on these two conditions is found to be ‘on target’ at this surveillance audit. A further condition was put in place at certification in relation to performance indicator 2.3.2. This performance indicator has been re-scored at this audit and the condition has been closed. Lloyd’s Register determines that: • There were no material changes to the circumstances and practices affecting the original complying assessment of the fishery; • This fishery continues to meet the MSC Standard; • Progress on conditions is on target. Lloyd’s Register confirms that the Talley’s New Zealand Skipjack Tuna Purse Seine Fishery continues to function as a well-managed and sustainable fishery. Therefore, continued certification to the MSC Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Fishing is awarded. No changes occurred in this fishery that would result in a change to the surveillance schedule. Lloyd’s Register, LR and any variants are trading names of Lloyd’s Register Group Limited, its subsidiaries and affiliates. Acoura Marine: trading as Lloyd's Register (Reg. no. SC313289). Registered office: 50 Lothian Road, Festival Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9WJ. Registered in Scotland. A member of the Lloyd’s Register group. MSC FCP v2.2 SA Reporting Template v2.1 LR July 2020 Page 5 of 41 www.lr.org
Lloyd’s Register 3rd Surveillance Report Talleys New Zealand Skipjack Tuna Purse Seine 3 Report details 3.1 Surveillance information Table 1. Surveillance information 1 Fishery name Talley’s New Zealand Skipjack Purse Seine 2 Unit(s) of Assessment (UoA) UoC Species: Skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) Geographical area: NZ EEZ (referred to as area SKJ1) Method of capture: Purse seine - Unassociated Stock: Western and Central Pacific Ocean Management System: Key components of the governance and fisheries management are the Western Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) and the New Zealand Government. Both have governance that is consistent with the United Nations Convention for the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement (UNFSA) Client Group: Talley’s Group Limited Note that other eligible fishers may also be included in some Units of Assessment but not initially certified (until covered by a certificate sharing arrangement). Other Eligible Fishers: The client for this assessment (Talley’s) may make access to the certificate open to additional operators who have vessels permitted by the Ministry for Primary Industries to fish for skipjack in the New Zealand waters using purse seine gear. 3 Date certified Date of expiry 28th August 2017 16th February 2023 4 Surveillance level and type Surveillance level 4, off-site surveillance audit 5 Surveillance number 3rd Surveillance X 6 Surveillance team leader - Jo Akroyd Jo is a fisheries management and marine ecosystem consultant with extensive international and Pacific experience. She has worked at senior levels in both the public and private sectors as a fisheries manager Lloyd’s Register, LR and any variants are trading names of Lloyd’s Register Group Limited, its subsidiaries and affiliates. Acoura Marine: trading as Lloyd's Register (Reg. no. SC313289). Registered office: 50 Lothian Road, Festival Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9WJ. Registered in Scotland. A member of the Lloyd’s Register group. MSC FCP v2.2 SA Reporting Template v2.1 LR July 2020 Page 6 of 41 www.lr.org
Lloyd’s Register 3rd Surveillance Report Talleys New Zealand Skipjack Tuna Purse Seine and marine policy expert. Jo was with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in New Zealand for 20 years. Starting as a fisheries scientist, she was promoted to senior chief fisheries scientist, then Assistant Director, Marine Research. She was awarded a Commemoration Medal in 1990 in recognition of her pioneering work in establishing New Zealand’s fisheries quota management system. As well as carrying out general fisheries consultancy since1994 she has undertaken all facets of MSC work as a lead assessor, expert team member and peer reviewer across a wide range of fisheries. Jo has completed the MSC v1.3, v2.0, v2.1 and v2.2 training modules including for enhanced fisheries, Risk based framework and traceability. She is a member of the MSC’s Peer Review College. MSC projects include Team Leader and Fisheries Management expert for New Zealand fisheries, (hoki, hake, ling, southern blue whiting, albacore and skipjack), Fiji (albacore and yellowfin), Japan (scallops, skipjack and yellowfin), China (scallops, flounder and snowcrab), Maldives (skipjack), Ross Sea (toothfish), West Papua (skipjack and yellowfin). She has conducted multi species pre assessments in Japan, China, Viet Nam and New Zealand and provided independent Peer review reports for tuna, scallops and prawn fisheries in various countries. Jo has passed MSC training and has no Conflict of Interest in relation to this fishery. Full CV available upon request. Team Jo has completed a number of MSC assessment as TL and meets all Fishery TL Qualification and Leader Competency Criteria under MSC FCP v2.2 Table PC1 and MSC GCR v2.4.1 Table 1. Experience 7 Surveillance team members - Kevin McLoughlin Kevin is a specialist fisheries consultant based in Australia with more than 30 years’ experience across a wide range of domestic and international science issues. Kevin’s experience in working on MSC assessments spans over 10 years. As a fisheries scientist with the Australian Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Kevin represented the Australian Government on many committees and groups such as fishery assessment groups, providing advice on a diverse range of fisheries and species (including tuna, shark, various finfish, scallop and prawn). Work in assessment groups involved assessment of target species, development of bycatch action plans and ecological risk assessments. Mr McLoughlin was a member of Australia’s Bass Strait Scallop Fishery Assessment Group for more than 5 years. This Group developed the harvest strategy for that fishery and evaluated the survey based approach to assessment of the fishery status. He was responsible for the production of annual status reports for Australian government- managed fisheries for more than 10 years, including the writing of annual status reports for the Bass Strait Scallop Fishery. Mr. McLoughlin was also Australia’s delegate on scientific issues at the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission and was Chair of the IOTC Working Party on Bycatch for several years. Mr McLoughlin has worked predominantly on Principle 1 aspects of MSC assessments but has also undertaken Principle 2 and 3 work, as well as peer review and surveillance audits for several fisheries. Kevin was a team member for the full assessment of the Fiji longline fishery; the New Zealand Albacore Fishery; the New Zealand Skipjack Fishery; the Parties to the Nauru Agreement Western and Central Pacific Skipjack and Yellowfin purse seine fishery; the Tri Marine Western and Central Pacific Skipjack and Yellowfin Tuna Fishery; and Australia’s blue grenadier fishery. He was a member of teams assessing Australia’s Northern Prawn Fishery, Western Australia’s Exmouth Gulf and Shark Bay prawn trawl fisheries, and South Australia’s Spencer Gulf prawn trawl fishery. He has also written a pre-assessment for an Australian scallop fishery. Kevin has passed MSC training and has no Conflict of Interest in relation to this fishery. Full CV available upon request Local English is widely spoken in New Zealand. Context Both Jo and Kevin have been involved in this fishery since certification. Traceability Jo has completed the MSC traceability 2020 module RBF Jo and Kevin have completed the RBF training. Lloyd’s Register, LR and any variants are trading names of Lloyd’s Register Group Limited, its subsidiaries and affiliates. Acoura Marine: trading as Lloyd's Register (Reg. no. SC313289). Registered office: 50 Lothian Road, Festival Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9WJ. Registered in Scotland. A member of the Lloyd’s Register group. MSC FCP v2.2 SA Reporting Template v2.1 LR July 2020 Page 7 of 41 www.lr.org
Lloyd’s Register 3rd Surveillance Report Talleys New Zealand Skipjack Tuna Purse Seine 8 Audit/review time and location The 2nd of December 2020 via online call platform. 9 Assessment and review activities All relevant data, progress on the Client Action Plan and progress on the three open conditions 10 Stakeholder opportunities Stakeholders were contacted and invited to either to speak with the assessment team via conference call , or to submit comments for the team to review Stakeholders were also provided a link https://www.msc.org/what-you-can-do/engage-with-a-fishery-assessment for stakeholder contributions. There were no requests to speak to the team nor any written contributions. 3.2 Background This section of the report outlines changes to the fishery since the 2 nd surveillance audit. Changes in management system There have been no important changes in the management system since the 2nd surveillance audit. Skipjack tuna in the New Zealand EEZ continues to be managed as a non-quota species but the fishery is otherwise subject to the same rules and regulations that apply to quota species. The activities by skipjack fishers are subject to the Fisheries Act 1996 and to the management objectives as defined in the National Fisheries Plan for Highly Migratory Species and the Annual Operational Plan for Highly Migratory Species Fisheries. Changes in relevant regulations National No changes in relevant New Zealand management regulations. Regional Conservation Management Measures (CMMs) adopted since the 2nd surveillance audit are listed in Table 2. Eight new CMMs and one Resolution were adopted at WCPFC16 in December 2019. Table 2. Updates to CMMs adopted by WCPFC in 2019. Source: WCPFC, 2019 Title CMM 2019-01 Cooperating Non-Members (replaced CMM 2009-11) CMM 2019-02 Conservation and Management Measure for Pacific Bluefin (replaced CMM 2018-02) CMM 2019-03 Conservation and Management Measure for North Pacific Albacore (replaced CMM 2005-03) CMM 2019-04 Conservation and Management Measure for Sharks (effective 1 November 2020) CMM 2019-05 Conservation and Management Measure on Mobulid Rays caught in association with fisheries in the WCPFC Convention Area (effective 1 January 2021) Lloyd’s Register, LR and any variants are trading names of Lloyd’s Register Group Limited, its subsidiaries and affiliates. Acoura Marine: trading as Lloyd's Register (Reg. no. SC313289). Registered office: 50 Lothian Road, Festival Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9WJ. Registered in Scotland. A member of the Lloyd’s Register group. MSC FCP v2.2 SA Reporting Template v2.1 LR July 2020 Page 8 of 41 www.lr.org
Lloyd’s Register 3rd Surveillance Report Talleys New Zealand Skipjack Tuna Purse Seine CMM 2019-06 Conservation and Management Measure for the Compliance Monitoring Scheme (replaced CMM 2018-07) CMM 2019-07 Conservation and Management Measure to establish a list of vessels presumed to have carried out Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing Activities in the Western Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO; replaced CMM 2010-06) CMM 2019-08 Conservation and Management Measure for Charter Notification Scheme Resolution 2019-01 Resolution on climate change as it relates to the WCPFC CMM 2018-01 (for bigeye, yellowfin and skipjack tuna in the WCPO) continues to detail the key measures applying to target species. Pending the establishment of harvest strategies, the purpose of this measure is to provide for a robust transitional management regime that ensures the sustainability of bigeye, yellowfin and skipjack tuna stocks. CMM 2019-05 (on Mobulid Rays caught in association with fisheries in the WCPFC Convention Area) comes into effect on 1 January 2021. This CMM adopts a non-retention policy for mobulids and details handling practices for these species. Changes to personnel involved in science, management or industry Fisheries in New Zealand are the responsibility of Fisheries New Zealand (FNZ), an entity within the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). There have been no changes to the FNZ Highly Migratory Species team. There has been one staff change in the FNZ International Fisheries Policy team, with Anne Wietheger replaced by John Willmer. There have been no changes in personnel of the industry client fishery. Changes to scientific base of information, including stock assessments As described in the 2nd surveillance audit report for the fishery, CABs submitted a combined tuna fishery Variation Request in December 11, 2018 to address inconsistencies and align differences in timelines for meeting harvest strategy conditions between MSC Certified tuna fisheries. The Variation Request proposed a ‘hard deadline’ approach to Principle 1 condition timelines. The Variation Request and MSC’s response are available at: https://fisheries.msc.org/en/fisheries/talleys-new-zealand-skipjack-tuna-purse-seine/@@assessments. Subsequently, a meeting of CABs in September 2020 agreed an extension of 6 months on the previous ‘hard deadline’ outcomes due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic (Stakeholder Announcement: Mega Tuna VR update; released October 2020; https://fisheries.msc.org/en/fisheries/talleys-new-zealand-skipjack-tuna-purse-seine/@@assessments). The indicated deadlines for the skipjack UoA are: RFMO workplan Original condition Revised condition end date completion date at time end date as per of based on the MSC’s March of 2019 CAB variation 2019 CAB variation 2020 COVID-19 derogation HS in place at the Regular Session of the June 2022 UoA – Skipjack 2021 Commission – December 2021 The October 2020 CAB stakeholder announcement indicates that evidence for whether the deadlines are met for each stock will be taken from the report which follows the relevant RFMO annual meeting. Information on harmonised fisheries is given at Section 5.4. Catch Catch estimates for all tuna and billfish species fished in the WCPFC statistical area are compiled annually by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) based on reports provided by the Commission Members, Cooperating non-Members, and participating Territories (CCMs). The 2019 WCPO skipjack catch of 2,034,230 t was a record. It was about 10% higher than the 2018 catch and around 45,000 t higher than the previous record of 2014 (1,978,927 t) (Williams and Ruaia, 2020). WCPO catches and catch are shown in Figure 1 and the catch distribution for 1990-2019 in Figure 2. Lloyd’s Register, LR and any variants are trading names of Lloyd’s Register Group Limited, its subsidiaries and affiliates. Acoura Marine: trading as Lloyd's Register (Reg. no. SC313289). Registered office: 50 Lothian Road, Festival Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9WJ. Registered in Scotland. A member of the Lloyd’s Register group. MSC FCP v2.2 SA Reporting Template v2.1 LR July 2020 Page 9 of 41 www.lr.org
Lloyd’s Register 3rd Surveillance Report Talleys New Zealand Skipjack Tuna Purse Seine Figure 1. WCPO skipjack catch (t) by year. (Source: Williams and Ruaia, 2020) Figure 2. Distribution of skipjack tuna catch 1990-2019. (Source: Williams and Ruaia, 2020) The New Zealand fishery operates over 4-5 months during the summer, when the distribution of WCPO skipjack is at its southern-most extent. The fishery occurs primarily off the east and west coasts of North Island (Figure 3). Most of the skipjack catch in New Zealand waters is of juvenile fish. Almost 100% of the skipjack catch in the NZ EEZ in recent years has been taken by a single large purse seiner (the client vessel, FV Captain MJ Souza, ~70 m in length) and four small purse seiners (< 400 GRT, ~30 m in length). In the 2019/20 fishing season (1 October to 30 September) four vessels, including the client vessel, were active in the fishery. New Zealand continues to provide catch and size frequency information from its domestic purse seine fishery to SPC on an annual basis. Table 3. Skipjack catch (t) in the New Zealand EEZ. Year = New Zealand fishing year, 1 October to 30 September Year 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 EEZ total catch 5,438 3,821 5,519 5,179* Client catch 2,937 1,307 1,345 1,878* *2019/20 catch is provisional Lloyd’s Register, LR and any variants are trading names of Lloyd’s Register Group Limited, its subsidiaries and affiliates. Acoura Marine: trading as Lloyd's Register (Reg. no. SC313289). Registered office: 50 Lothian Road, Festival Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9WJ. Registered in Scotland. A member of the Lloyd’s Register group. MSC FCP v2.2 SA Reporting Template v2.1 LR July 2020 Page 10 of 41 www.lr.org
Lloyd’s Register 3rd Surveillance Report Talleys New Zealand Skipjack Tuna Purse Seine Figure 3. Distribution of purse seine effort and catch (tonnes per one degree square) in 2019 (Source: Talley’s, 2020). Stock status As reported at the 2nd surveillance of the fishery, an updated assessment for skipjack was undertaken in 2019 and presented to the 2019 SC meeting. The 2019 assessment (Vincent et al., 2019) again concluded that the skipjack stock is not overfished, nor subject to overfishing. The 2019 assessment includes an additional three years of data available since the 2016 assessment and the model extends through to the end of 2018. The updated model addresses the recommendations of the 2016 stock assessment report and incorporates new data sources such as maturity-at-length, creation of an additional spatial structure, exploration of model uncertainty, and improving the diagnostics of previous assessments (Vincent et al., 2019). General conclusions of the 2019 assessment include: • Total biomass and spawning potential remained relatively stable, with fluctuations, until the mid-2000s, after which it declined. Estimated recruitment shows an increasing trend from 1980 to the recent period. • Average F rates for juvenile and adult age-classes increase throughout the period of the assessment. • Two region-model structures were examined. The 8-region model structure provided slightly more optimistic estimates of stock status when compared to the 5-region model structure. In both cases, the stock was assessed to be above the adopted limit reference point (LRP), and fished at rates below F MSY, with 100% probability. It is concluded that the skipjack stock is not overfished, nor subject to overfishing. • Overall median depletion over the recent period (2015-2018; SBrecent/SBF=0) was 0.44 (80 percentile range 0.36-0.52) for the 8-region model, and 0.40 (80 percentile range 0.30-0.50) for the 5-region model. • Results from both regional structures indicate a stock status currently on average below the interim TRP for skipjack. o For the 8-region grid, 47 of the 54 models (85%) estimated SBrecent/SBF=0 to be less than the TRP (50%SBF=0). o For the 5-region grid, 48 of the 54 models (87%) estimated SBrecent/SBF=0 to be less than the TRP (50%SBF=0). • Recent median fishing mortality (2014-2017; Frecent/FMSY) was 0.44 (80 percentile range 0.34-0.61) for the 8- region model, and 0.48 (80 percentile range 0.35-0.66) for the 5-region model. The Kobe plot shows the recent fishing mortality and spawning potential relative to spawning potential at maximum sustainable yield (MSY) for all models in the structural uncertainty grid for (i) spawning potential in the recent time period (2015-2018) in Figure 4 (WCPFC-SC, 2019). Lloyd’s Register, LR and any variants are trading names of Lloyd’s Register Group Limited, its subsidiaries and affiliates. Acoura Marine: trading as Lloyd's Register (Reg. no. SC313289). Registered office: 50 Lothian Road, Festival Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9WJ. Registered in Scotland. A member of the Lloyd’s Register group. MSC FCP v2.2 SA Reporting Template v2.1 LR July 2020 Page 11 of 41 www.lr.org
Lloyd’s Register 3rd Surveillance Report Talleys New Zealand Skipjack Tuna Purse Seine Figure 4. Kobe plot for the recent spawning potential (2015-2018) summarizing the results for each of the models in the structural uncertainty grid. The plots represent estimates of stock status in terms of spawning potential depletion and fishing mortality and marginal distributions of each are presented. Brown triangle indicates the median of the estimates. The size of the circle relates to the weight of that particular model run. Source: WCPFC-SC, 2019 SC15 concluded that the stock was assessed to be above the adopted LRP and fished at rates below F MSY with 100% probability, i.e. the stock is not overfished nor subject to overfishing. At the same time, it was also noted that fishing mortality is continuously increasing for both adult and juvenile while the spawning biomass reached the historical lowest level. The next stock assessment update for skipjack is scheduled for 2022. Harvest strategy and harvest control rules The general management of skipjack tuna has not changed to any substantial degree since certification that would affect the client fishery. The current harvest strategy relies on annual decision-making processes founded on the core principles of the WCPFC as laid out in its Convention and in a growing body of CMMs (see https://www.wcpfc.int/conservation-and-management-measures). CMM 2018-01 came into effect on 13 February 2019 (replacing CMM 2017-01 and predecessors) and shall remain in effect until 10 February 2021 unless replaced earlier or amended by the Commission. It sets conditions of harvest for skipjack, yellowfin, and other tunas. CMM 2018-01 states that: “Pending the establishment of harvest strategies, and any implementing CMM, the purpose of this measure is to provide for a robust transitional management regime that ensures the sustainability of bigeye, skipjack, and yellowfin tuna stocks.” Conditions are in place for skipjack for PIs 1.2.1 and 1.2.2. As reported in the Public Certification Report for the fishery (Akroyd and McLoughlin, 2017), WCPFC CMM 2014-06 was adopted to develop and implement a harvest strategy approach for key fish stocks in the WCPO. The CMM identifies the elements that harvest strategies are to contain (including defined operational objectives, TRPs and LRPs for each stock, acceptable levels of risk of not breaching limit reference points, a monitoring strategy, decision rules that aim to achieve the TRP and avoid the LRP, and management strategy evaluation). CMM 2014-06 required the development of a workplan for its implementation, first adopted at WCPFC12 (WCPFC12, 2015; Attachment Y). There have been several revisions to the workplan in subsequent years. A range of harvest strategy related research was presented and discussed by WCPFC16. WCPFC16 agreed to further workplan changes which delay the implementation of elements of the harvest strategy for skipjack (WCPFC 2019, Attachment H). The updated plan recognises the need for additional time to develop the harvest strategy for the skipjack and yellowfin (WCPFC, 2019, Attachment H). Lloyd’s Register, LR and any variants are trading names of Lloyd’s Register Group Limited, its subsidiaries and affiliates. Acoura Marine: trading as Lloyd's Register (Reg. no. SC313289). Registered office: 50 Lothian Road, Festival Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9WJ. Registered in Scotland. A member of the Lloyd’s Register group. MSC FCP v2.2 SA Reporting Template v2.1 LR July 2020 Page 12 of 41 www.lr.org
Lloyd’s Register 3rd Surveillance Report Talleys New Zealand Skipjack Tuna Purse Seine At WCPFC SC16 (August 2020), several working papers relating to the development of management measures for skipjack were considered, including: • Updates to WCPO skipjack tuna projected stock status to inform consideration of an updated target reference point (SC16-MI-WP-02); • Overview of recent developments and key decisions for harvest strategies for WCPFC stocks and fisheries (SC16-2020-MI-WP-03); • Developing the monitoring strategy for the WCPFC harvest strategy for WCPO skipjack (SC16-MI-IP02); • Results of re-evaluations of management procedures for skipjack tuna in the WCPO (SC16-MI-IP-03); • Developing management procedures for WCPO skipjack: The estimation model (SC16-MI-IP-09); • Simulating future data for WCPO skipjack harvest strategy evaluations (SC16-MI-IP-10). A limit reference point (LRP) for skipjack of 0.2SBF=0, was adopted in 2012 and an interim target reference point (TRP) of 0.5SBF=0 was adopted in 2015. WCPFC16 requested that the science provider (SPC) undertake analyses to examine candidate interim skipjack TRPs of 42%, 44%, 46% and 50% of SB/SB F=0. SC16 noted that, on the basis of the improved biological understanding of the stock and the changed stock status following the 2019 stock assessment, the TRP objective of achieving 2012 effort levels or stock status was now revised from 50% to 42% SBF=0 (WCPFC-SC, 2020). The candidate TRPs from SC16-MI-WP-02 will be considered by WCPFC17 in December 2020. Whilst there have been revisions to the CMM 2014-06 workplan, it is evident that good progress has been made by SPC in delivering on harvest strategy requirements. Recent developments with the WCPFC harvest strategy are discussed further in the reporting on the progress against the conditions in Section 4.3.2. Update on Principle 2 information: For the surveillance audit, the client provided information on recent catch composition from observed trips conducted in this fishery. During the 2018 and 2019 calendar years, skipjack comprised 99.6% of the total observed catch as determined for 103 sets (67 sets in 2018 and 36 in 2019) (Table 4) (Talley’s, 2020). The latest New Zealand observer coverage on the Captain MJ Souza was Jan-March 2018 (41 days, 39 sets). Table 4. Catch composition from five observed purse seine trips during the 2018 and 2019 financial years (Talley’s, 2020). Lloyd’s Register, LR and any variants are trading names of Lloyd’s Register Group Limited, its subsidiaries and affiliates. Acoura Marine: trading as Lloyd's Register (Reg. no. SC313289). Registered office: 50 Lothian Road, Festival Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9WJ. Registered in Scotland. A member of the Lloyd’s Register group. MSC FCP v2.2 SA Reporting Template v2.1 LR July 2020 Page 13 of 41 www.lr.org
Lloyd’s Register 3rd Surveillance Report Talleys New Zealand Skipjack Tuna Purse Seine The area of operation of the skipjack purse seine fishery overlaps spinetail devil ray distribution off the northeast coast of New Zealand’s North Island. A condition was raised at certification in relation to spinetail devil ray (PI 2.3.2). Observed interactions with spinetail devil ray in 2018 and 2019 are shown in Table 4. Four spinetail devil rays were captured and released alive in 2019 (WCPFC-SC, 2020). Interactions are also reported in commercial logbooks. Most of the captures are reported as released alive, and while care is taken during their release they occasionally incur injuries (Table 5). The client has adopted operational procedures for the release of protected species, including spinetail devil rays. ‘Pop-up’ satellite tags have been used in a recent study to examine post-release survival of spinetail devil rays. Sixteen devil rays were tagged with ‘pop-up’ tags during 2013 to 2018, and 14 of the tags transmitted data, allowing a determination of whether the devil rays had survived 30 days following tag and release. Four of the first seven devil rays tagged in 2013−2015 (57%) died. However, only one of seven devil rays tagged in 2016−2018 (14%) died. All mortalities of tagged rays resulted from skunked sets (i.e. sets with no or minimal catch of the target tuna) followed by lifting of devil rays aboard in the net. In contrast, all devil rays that were tagged from successful sets were brailed aboard, and all of them survived (Francis and Jones, 2019). Although the number of rays tagged is too small to draw solid conclusions, a reduction in the mortality rate of released devil rays is consistent with observed improvements in handling and releasing methods used by purse seine crews (Francis and Jones, 2019). No spinetail devil ray captures were reported from the 39 sets observed on the Captain MJ Souza in 2018. No seabirds, marine mammals or turtles were reported caught in the 2019 observer data. In addition, no oceanic whitetip sharks, silky sharks, whale sharks or great white sharks were reported caught. Table 5. Commercial reported protected spinetail devil ray interactions in the skipjack purse seine fishery over the last five financial years (Talley’s, 2020). Update on Principle 3 information: In addition to WCPFC approaches to management of WCPO tuna fishery management arrangements, New Zealand has well-developed management systems. The New Zealand National Fisheries Plan for Highly Migratory Species 2019 provides the strategic framework for the management of New Zealand’s HMS fisheries. It establishes multi-year objectives for the management of New Zealand’s tuna and billfish fisheries as well as strategies for achieving them (Talley’s, 2020). The Plan also identifies performance indicators as a basis for monitoring and evaluating the achievement of the Plan’s objectives (FNZ 2019). The Plan is implemented through an Annual Operational Plan (AOP), which provides the short-term operational objectives for HMS fisheries and which is updated annually. This document details the day-to-day tasks and management initiatives to be implemented for the skipjack fishery during the course of the year. Key focus areas for 2020-21 include: • Contributing to international processes through RFMOs, including ‘Supporting international fisheries management with WCPFC work items as and when required’ • Contributing to the MPI Pacific fisheries capacity development programme, Te Pãtuitanga Ahumoana a Kiwa. This support includes assisting Pacific Island countries and territories to develop national governance approaches, including fisheries management system development and implementation. This support may have far-reaching outcomes for WCPFC Harvest Strategy adoption. Lloyd’s Register, LR and any variants are trading names of Lloyd’s Register Group Limited, its subsidiaries and affiliates. Acoura Marine: trading as Lloyd's Register (Reg. no. SC313289). Registered office: 50 Lothian Road, Festival Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9WJ. Registered in Scotland. A member of the Lloyd’s Register group. MSC FCP v2.2 SA Reporting Template v2.1 LR July 2020 Page 14 of 41 www.lr.org
Lloyd’s Register 3rd Surveillance Report Talleys New Zealand Skipjack Tuna Purse Seine The AOP also outlines the HMS Research Plan for the year, provides details of the research projects to be undertaken, and provides the planned allocation of fishery observer days for each fishery. Management performance is reviewed annually, and reported in an Annual Review Report (FNZ 2020). 3.3 Version details Table 6. Fisheries program documents versions Document Version number MSC Fisheries Certification Process Version 2.2 MSC Fisheries Standard Version 2.01* MSC General Certification Requirements Version 2.4.1 MSC Surveillance Reporting Template Version 2.1 * default assessment tree Lloyd’s Register, LR and any variants are trading names of Lloyd’s Register Group Limited, its subsidiaries and affiliates. Acoura Marine: trading as Lloyd's Register (Reg. no. SC313289). Registered office: 50 Lothian Road, Festival Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9WJ. Registered in Scotland. A member of the Lloyd’s Register group. MSC FCP v2.2 SA Reporting Template v2.1 LR July 2020 Page 15 of 41 www.lr.org
Lloyd’s Register 3rd Surveillance Report Talleys New Zealand Skipjack Tuna Purse Seine 4 Results 4.1 Surveillance results overview 4.1.1 Summary of conditions Table 7. Summary of conditions Condition Performance Condition Status PI original score PI revised score number Indicator (PI) SI a) By the fourth surveillance audit, demonstrate that the harvest strategy for skipjack tuna is responsive to the state of the 1 stock and the elements of 1.2.1 On target 70 Not revised the harvest strategy work together towards achieving stock management objectives reflected in PI 1.1.1 SG80. SI a) By the fourth surveillance audit, demonstrate that well defined HCRs are in place that ensure that the exploitation rate is reduced as the PRI is approached, are expected to keep the stock fluctuating around a target level consistent with (or above) MSY. SI b) By the fourth surveillance 2 1.2.2 On target 60 Not revised audit, provide evidence that the HCRs are likely to be robust to the main uncertainties. SI c) By the fourth surveillance audit, demonstrate that available evidence indicates that the tools in use are appropriate and effective in achieving the exploitation levels required under the HCRs. SI c) By the second surveillance audit, provide evidence that there is an objective basis for confidence that the measures/strategy in place for 3 managing the UoA’s impact on 2.3.2 Closed 75 85 ETP species (in particular, the spinetail devil ray) will work, based on information directly about the fishery and/or the species involved. Lloyd’s Register, LR and any variants are trading names of Lloyd’s Register Group Limited, its subsidiaries and affiliates. Acoura Marine: trading as Lloyd's Register (Reg. no. SC313289). Registered office: 50 Lothian Road, Festival Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9WJ. Registered in Scotland. A member of the Lloyd’s Register group. MSC FCP v2.2 SA Reporting Template v2.1 LR July 2020 Page 16 of 41 www.lr.org
Lloyd’s Register 3rd Surveillance Report Talleys New Zealand Skipjack Tuna Purse Seine 4.1.2 Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and catch data Table 8. Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and catch data TAC Year n/a Amount n/a UoA share of TAC Year n/a Amount n/a UoA share of total TAC Year n/a Amount n/a Year (most 1,878 t Total green weight catch by UoC 2019/20 Amount recent) provisional Year (second Total green weight catch by UoC 2018/19 Amount 1,345 t most recent) Year (most 5,179 t Total green weight catch by UoA 2019/20 Amount recent) provisional Year (second Total green weight catch by UoA 2018/19 Amount 5,519 t most recent) 4.1.3 Recommendations No recommendations are made 4.2 Re-scoring Performance Indicators Table 9. Re-scoring of PI 2.3.2 Amended text is in red. The UoA has in place precautionary management strategies designed to: • meet national and international requirements; PI 2.3.2 • ensure the UoA does not hinder recovery of ETP species. Also, the UoA regularly reviews and implements measures, as appropriate, to minimise the mortality of ETP species. Scoring Issue SG 60 SG 80 SG 100 a Management strategy in place (national and international requirements) Guide There are measures in There is a strategy in There is a post place that minimise the place for managing the comprehensive strategy UoA-related mortality of UoA’s impact on ETP in place for managing the ETP species, and are species, including UoA’s impact on ETP expected to be highly measures to minimise species, including likely to achieve national mortality, which is measures to minimise and international designed to be highly mortality, which is requirements for the likely to achieve national designed to achieve protection of ETP and international above national and species. requirements for the international requirements protection of ETP for the protection of ETP species. species. Met? Y Y Not scoredN Justifi Key legislation for the UoA for ETP species includes the Fisheries Act (1996), cation Wildlife Act (1953), Marine Mammals Protection Act (1978), and specific regulations for birds (relating to bycatch mitigation approaches). There is a requirement to report injury or mortality of protected species to the DoC (without offence). National Lloyd’s Register, LR and any variants are trading names of Lloyd’s Register Group Limited, its subsidiaries and affiliates. Acoura Marine: trading as Lloyd's Register (Reg. no. SC313289). Registered office: 50 Lothian Road, Festival Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9WJ. Registered in Scotland. A member of the Lloyd’s Register group. MSC FCP v2.2 SA Reporting Template v2.1 LR July 2020 Page 17 of 41 www.lr.org
Lloyd’s Register 3rd Surveillance Report Talleys New Zealand Skipjack Tuna Purse Seine The UoA has in place precautionary management strategies designed to: • meet national and international requirements; PI 2.3.2 • ensure the UoA does not hinder recovery of ETP species. Also, the UoA regularly reviews and implements measures, as appropriate, to minimise the mortality of ETP species. Plans of Action have been implemented for seabirds and sharks. Environmental risk assessments have been undertaken for seabirds and are ongoing for sharks. There are also requirements under WCPFC for seabirds and sharks. The national requirements for ETP protection in New Zealand law notes that while interactions are not forbidden (i.e. not zero), the law requires interactions to be reported on MPI’s Non-fish and Protected Species Catch Return form. The long- term aim is to minimise mortalities where possible, with the zero interactions being described as the aspirational objective. The approach requiring reporting of interactions, combined with observer coverage. provides good information on the potential effects of the fishery on ETP species. No specific limits on interactions have been set. There are also several WCPFC CMMs in place to deal with ETPs. For example, there are CMMs with specific measures for silky sharks (2013-08), oceanic whitetip sharks (CMM 2011-04) and whale sharks (CMM 2012-04), as well as CMMs for cetaceans (2011-03), and for turtles (CMM 2008-03). These are considered to constitute a strategy to manage the fishery’s impact on ETP species. The design of this strategy is considered highly likely to achieve the national and international requirements for protection. It is not, however, assessed as being designed to achieve above these requirements. This meets the requirements of the SG60 and SG80 levels. SG100 is not scored due to SG80 not being met at 2.3.2c. Spinetail devil rays are a species of concern. Given their protected status, spinetail devil rays are released when captured. Between 2005 and 2014, spinetail devil rays were caught in 8.2% of all observed skipjack purse seine sets in NZ waters (Jones and Francis, 2012). In addition, CMM 2019-05 (on Mobulid Rays caught in association with fisheries in the WCPFC Convention Area) comes into effect on 1 January 2021. This CMM adopts a non-retention policy for mobulids and details handling practices for these species. New Zealand has developed Operating Procedures (Ops) which set out the management measures required by MPI and DoC by law (the mandatory measures) as well as additional best practice measures and reporting requirements. The OPs have been established so that protected species risk reduction practices are documented and able to be understood by vessel owners, skippers and crew (see additional comments at 2.3.2(c)). The WCPFC measures in place and the provisions of New Zealand legislation comprise a strategy appropriate to meet SG60 and SG80 requirements. A ‘comprehensive strategy’ comprises a complete and tested strategy made up of linked monitoring, analyses, and management measures and responses. It is not evident that the strategy in place meets these SG100 requirements. b Management strategy in place (alternative) Guide There are measures in There is a strategy in There is a post place that are expected to place that is expected to comprehensive strategy ensure the UoA does not ensure the UoA does not in place for managing hinder the recovery of hinder the recovery of ETP species, to ensure ETP species. ETP species. the UoA does not hinder the recovery of ETP species Lloyd’s Register, LR and any variants are trading names of Lloyd’s Register Group Limited, its subsidiaries and affiliates. Acoura Marine: trading as Lloyd's Register (Reg. no. SC313289). Registered office: 50 Lothian Road, Festival Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9WJ. Registered in Scotland. A member of the Lloyd’s Register group. MSC FCP v2.2 SA Reporting Template v2.1 LR July 2020 Page 18 of 41 www.lr.org
Lloyd’s Register 3rd Surveillance Report Talleys New Zealand Skipjack Tuna Purse Seine The UoA has in place precautionary management strategies designed to: • meet national and international requirements; PI 2.3.2 • ensure the UoA does not hinder recovery of ETP species. Also, the UoA regularly reviews and implements measures, as appropriate, to minimise the mortality of ETP species. Met? Not relevant Not relevant Not relevant Justifi NZ legislation is in place which provides requirements for the protection of ETP cation species. c Management strategy evaluation Guide The measures are There is an objective The strategy/ post considered likely to basis for confidence comprehensive strategy is work, based on plausible that the mainly based on argument (e.g., general measures/strategy will information directly about experience, theory or work, based on the fishery and/or species comparison with similar information directly involved, and a fisheries/species). about the fishery and/or quantitative analysis the species involved. supports high confidence that the strategy will work. Met? Y NY Not scored Justifi There is an objective basis for confidence that, in general, the fishery has a low cation impact on ETP species. However, as indicated above, spinetail devil rays are a species of concern. Reported mobulid ray catches from other MSC-assessed fishery are not always to the species level. The Tri Marine MSC assessment (Morison and McLoughlin 2015) indicates that 624 devil rays were captured and discarded by U.S. purse seine vessels in unassociated sets between 2010 and 2013. The PNA MSC assessment (Banks et al. 2011) indicates an annual average of 8.3 t of manta rays (unidentified) being caught in unassociated sets between 2005 and 2008 (0.01% of the catch). In examining cumulative/global impacts, Hall and Roman (2013) conclude that “the impacts of the purse seine captures and bycatch on the population dynamics of the pelagic stingrays are probably negligible. With regard to manta and devil rays, the numbers cannot be placed in perspective because of the lack of population abundances and stock structure information. Although the overall numbers are not large, care must be exercised when the effort concentrates in patches where it may cause localized impacts on subpopulations whose genetic structure is not well known. The development of better techniques to release these species is an important step for eliminating this bycatch”. Given their protected status in NZ, spinetail devil rays are released when captured. Between 2005 and 2014, spinetail devil rays were caught in 8.2% of all observed skipjack purse seine sets in NZ waters (Jones and Francis, 2012). Tables 8 & 9 indicated a high rate of released spinetail rays being ‘alive and uninjured’. A code of practice is in development which includes information on the handling of sharks and rays. However, recent research indicates a potential high level of mortality of released specimens (Francis and Jones 2016). A project to attach archival tags to spinetail devil rays has operated since 2013. A total of nine tags have been deployed. Overall, seven of the nine tags reported data, and four of those rays died within 2–4 days of release. All four rays that died had been brought aboard entangled in the bunt. The three surviving rays were all brailed aboard with the tuna catch. Francis and Jones (2016) acknowledges that it is premature to draw conclusions about survival rates of devil rays based on seven tags returning data. Nevertheless, the four deaths observed out of seven rays indicate that mortality Lloyd’s Register, LR and any variants are trading names of Lloyd’s Register Group Limited, its subsidiaries and affiliates. Acoura Marine: trading as Lloyd's Register (Reg. no. SC313289). Registered office: 50 Lothian Road, Festival Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9WJ. Registered in Scotland. A member of the Lloyd’s Register group. MSC FCP v2.2 SA Reporting Template v2.1 LR July 2020 Page 19 of 41 www.lr.org
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