Analysis of catch assessment in offshore and coastal  tuna fisheries in Sri Lanka

Analysis of catch assessment in offshore and coastal tuna fisheries in Sri Lanka

Year of publication 2013

Product type Meeting

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) Tu fisheries in Sri Lanka are developing rapidly with the expansion of offshore and deep sea /high seas fishing. Over 4,000 boats are currently engaged in tu fishing, out of which around 700 boats are categorized as single day and operated in the coastal areas where as about 3,300 are operated offshore and high seas adjacent to the EEZ. The estimated total large pelagic fishery production in 2012 was 105,240 Mt and the majority of large pelagic catch, consists of tus 66,840 Mt (63%) followed by billfish 8,730 Mt (8.5%), sharks 3180 Mt (3.0%) and Seer 620 Mt (0.5%). Among the different fishing gears used for catching large pelagic fish, large-mesh gillnet (GN) or long line (GN/LL) as secondary gear, were the widely used fishing gears in tu fisheries. Gillnet cum long line combition contributes to more than 75 % of the total tu fishing effort in the country. Yellow fin tu is a commercially important species and economic regain in the country is low due to the insufficient catch rates and high operatiol cost. Exported quantity of tu in 2012 was 6,250mt and 2,210mt to European Union, 2150mt to Japan. 66 percent from total was exported to EU in 2008 and it has declined to 45 percent in 2012. The tropical tu fishery is encouraged to increase tiol fish production to meet the local demand in view of full fill the requirements of nutrition gaps. The statistical system in Sri Lanka is to be further improved to meet the requirements of regiol fishery magement information and IOTC resolu tions. The catch position data will be depicting the fishery resources availability around the country. This study reveals that the methodology developed could be effectively used to estimate and standardized CPUE to cater the stock assessment of tu resources in IOTC area. Tropical tu catches from gill net fishery has decreasing pattern due to the encouraging lone line fishery. The local lone line fishery catches from beyond EEZ shows increasing trend. The CPUE is calculated for boat trip and th erefore, many limitations could be seen in standardization. The system also monitors the tu catch and effort monthly at 5 grid level. Therefore, it is needed to strengthen the tu catch data collection system to make efficient reporting for tropical tu fishery resource magement information. The proposed system will comply with response the IOTC compliance matters and data requirements. (Res 10/02, Mandatory statistical requirements, Res 05/05, concerning the conservation of Sharks) Further assist ance is proposed to improve the scientific researches on by catches of sea birds, turtles etc. Several improvements were added to the existing data collection system with the assistance of IOTC/OFCF and BOBLME. It addressed collecting position data, species, catch composition, gear types, trip duration, weight, lengths and other important variables. Skilled of officers were enhanced. Improvement of reporting and alysis will be considered in 2014 and capacity of officers to be enhanced.

Statutory body / Meeting title Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC)

Meeting symbol IOTC-2013-WPTT15-15 Rev_1

Meeting Session Number 15

Language English