What “Catch” means in environmental context?

WHAT “CATCH” MEANS IN ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT?

Sachiko TSUJI (FAO) 30/10-01/11/2012

UNECE TF on Environmental Indicators

30/10-01/11/2012UNECE TF on Environmental Indicators

How “catch” is determined – meaning of catch Detailed definition of catch Indication of “catch” in a context of monitoring

“environment”

- We cannot see underneath of water – limitation in available information; invisible, less noticeable

- Aquatic – terrestrial biological dynamics – no difference in principle

30/10-01/11/2012UNECE TF on Environmental Indicators

Senior Fishery Statistician of FAO Responsible for all Fishery and Aquaculture statistics

disseminated from FAO Participated in development of UN SEEA, CBD - aquatic

Secretary of Coordinating Working Party on Fishery Statistics (CWP) FAO Statutory global coordinating mechanism - 22

organizations as members Objectives - set up standards, concepts and classifications

for fisheries statistics, review information needs, coordination for research and collaboration

Personal background – population dynamics

Dynamics on aquatic stocks, fishing activities, catch and environmental impacts.

What “catch” means ?

Dynamics of biological stock

Dynamics of biological stock

Catch diagram

# boats; Gear technology; Fishing Days

ENSO events;Climate changes

impacts,

CATCH = [Fishing Effort] * [Fish abundance available to fishing]

Sustainable YieldsStock Abundance

Catch

Sustainable Yields Fishing Efforts

Catch diagram

Urbanization; Water front development;

Pollution

# boats; Gear technology; Fishing Days

ENSO events;Climate changes

impacts,

CATCH = [Fishing Effort] * [Fish abundance available to fishing]

Dynamics of biological stock

Dynamics of biological stock -- Impacts of habitat destruction

Dynamics of biological stock -- Combination with aquaculture

Removal of predators; Fertilizing; Blocking fish moves

Release of farmed seeds

30/10-01/11/2012UNECE TF on Environmental Indicators

Multi-species context

Single population theories not applicable to multi species context: Too complex for modeling Generally lower suitable harvest point; conflict between over-

exploited primary species .vs. under-exploited secondary species “Fished – down” – size change

Big fish and commercially high valued fish removed, first Size of fish getting smaller – matured at small size with young age;

fish becoming thin > lower productivities “Fished – down” – change in species composition

Moving to alternative less preferable species Lowering average trophic level

Small scale .vs. large scale

Identifying measurement and indicators suitable to monitor target events

What to measure ?

30/10-01/11/2012UNECE TF on Environmental Indicators

Selection criteria of indicators:

Directly measurable, not abstractive concepts: Sensitive and responsive to change in targets: Clear reflective relation to behavior of targets; Cost-effective: Robust and less sensitive to noise: Consistent with public understandings and

technical indications: Adequate time-series:

Concept of catch Diagram

Landing * Conversion factors > NOMINAL CATCH

Landing * Conversion factors > NOMINAL CATCH

30/10-01/11/2012UNECE TF on Environmental Indicators

Currently available data and indicators Contribution to food security -- FAO

Catch by species and species groups : Retained catch < converted from Landings Trades, disposition by species and species groups

Stock assessment / management purpose -- Regional Fishery Management Organizations (RFMOs) Gross removal (including discards), species-specific Stock indicator – e.g. catch taken by unit effort (CPUE) Stock assessment results of species under management Inventories and summary of stocks assessment results –

FAO SOFIA / FIRMS; ICES

30/10-01/11/2012UNECE TF on Environmental Indicators

Currently available data and indicators Stocks status as macro-indicators

Average trophic level – EU Indicators Gross removal adjusted with effort indicator (quasi-CPUE) –

SEEA Bio-diversity – CBD for aquatic (FAO) in pipeline

List of aquatic species captured as well as farmed: survey questionnaires in preparation

RFMOs – observer data on incidental-catch, discards, of ecologically related species and vulnerable ecosystem species

List of Protected Areas

30/10-01/11/2012UNECE TF on Environmental Indicators

UNECE members – data reporting status In general, good data quality and species breakdown;

Belarus, Finland, Kazakhstan, FYR Macedonia, Russian; Serbia, Ukraine

Recently, struggle in communication: No reporting – Armenia (2005), Bosnia and Herzegovina (2007);

Georgia (2005, except marine capture in 2010); Turkmenistan (2005); Uzbekistan (2010)

Some component systematically not reported: Belgium (inland aquaculture); Moldova (no aquaculture since

2005); Montenegro (aquaculture); Tajikistan (no capture since 2005)

Some incomplete or inconsistent among years; Azerbaijan; Kyrgyzstan;

30/10-01/11/2012UNECE TF on Environmental Indicators

Points for consideration: Indicators of human pressure on environments – important:

Fishing pressure, small and large scale operations Non-fishery human activity pressure – no indicator available Impacts of human intervention – stocking, landscaping, protected area

Clarify the monitoring target: Not possible to monitor biodiversity and human pressure on aquatic

environments with one indicator Direct measurement better than indirect indicators – e.g. for pressure on

aquatic environment, energy use in fishing Clarify a link with policy decision – interpretation and actual utilization

Avoid duplication and build upon available resources: Enhancing overall monitoring capacity Rebuilding historical assessment

Thank you for your attention!!