Papua New Guinea/SPC Tuna Tagging Project: Papua New Guinea/SPC Tuna Tagging Project: PRFP linking to the bigger picturePRFP linking to the bigger picture

David ItanoDavid Itano 11

Kim HollandKim Holland 22

John HamptonJohn Hampton 33

1 University of Hawaii, Pelagic Fisheries Research Program

2 Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii

3 Secretariat of the Pacific Commission, Oceanic Fisheries Programme

Tuna resources of the Western and Central Pacific:Tuna resources of the Western and Central Pacific:historical overview: South Pacific Commission programshistorical overview: South Pacific Commission programs

•• Skipjack Survey and Assessment ProgrammeSkipjack Survey and Assessment Programme–– 1977 1977 –– 1980 (field operations)1980 (field operations)–– survey and stock assessment of WCPO survey and stock assessment of WCPO skipjack and tuna baitfishskipjack and tuna baitfish

resources for fisheries development and managementresources for fisheries development and management

•• Regional Tuna Tagging ProgrammeRegional Tuna Tagging Programme–– 1989 1989 –– 19921992–– emphasis on emphasis on yellowfin tunayellowfin tuna resource and assessment under rapidly resource and assessment under rapidly

increasing purse seine and longline exploitationincreasing purse seine and longline exploitation

•• Regional Tuna Tagging ProjectRegional Tuna Tagging Project -- Phase I: Papua New GuineaPhase I: Papua New Guinea–– Oceanic Fisheries Programme / Secretariat of the Pacific CommuniOceanic Fisheries Programme / Secretariat of the Pacific Community and ty and

the National Fisheries Authority / PNGthe National Fisheries Authority / PNG–– 2005 2005 –– 2006 (six months total)2006 (six months total)

tagging platformstagging platforms

RTTP RTTP –– M/V M/V Te Te TautaiTautaiSSAP SSAP –– HatsutoriHatsutori MaruMaru #5#5

PNG Tuna Tagging Project, Phase I PNG Tuna Tagging Project, Phase I –– M/V M/V SoltaiSoltai 66

polepole--andand--line gear for conventional taggingline gear for conventional taggingadfadf

Wake

PNGIndonesia

Federated States of Micronesia

Palau

Marshall Islands

KiribatiNauru

150 E

JAPAN

CNMI

Guam

Minami ToriShima

180170 E160 E

Australia

NewCaledonia

Vanuatu

SolomonIslands

Tuvalu Tokelau

W&FFiji

Tonga

Samoa

PhoenixIslands

Howland& Baker

Palmyra

Johnston

Jarvis

160 W170 W

Niue

Cook IslandsAmSamoa

Line Islands

French Polynesia

Pitcairn

10 S

150 W

HAWAII

140 W

20 N

USA

Mexico

130 W

0

10 N

Western and Central PacificResearch and Management

Western and Central Pacific Fishery Commission(Secretariat of the Pacific Community)

current exploitation levels in WCPOcurrent exploitation levels in WCPO

> 1000 mt/year since 1999> 1000 mt/year since 1999

increasing use of drifting (increasing use of drifting (redred) and) andanchored (anchored (greengreen) FADs) FADsby Purse Seine fleetsby Purse Seine fleets

recent exploitation levelsrecent exploitation levels

Papua New Guinea EEZ Papua New Guinea EEZ –– 250,000 to 400,000 250,000 to 400,000 mt of tropical tunas per yearmt of tropical tunas per year

Palau

MinamiTori Shima

NorthernMarianas

Guam

Papua New Guinea

Federated States of Micronesia

Solomon Is

New Caledonia

Australia

Wake

MarshallIslands

KiribatiNauru

Vanuatu

Fiji

Tuvalu

Matthew &

Howlandand Baker

Phoenix

Wallis & Futuna

Tokelau

AmSamoa

NiueTonga

WesternSamoa

Hawaii

Johnston

Palmyra

CookIslands

LineIslands

Jarvis

F

Indonesia

Philippines

Phase I study areaPhase I study area

Bismarck archipelago and Solomon SeaBismarck archipelago and Solomon Sea

Bismarck archipelago and Solomon SeaBismarck archipelago and Solomon Sea

140 E

PAPUANEW GUINEA

05 S

145 E

0

Manus Island

Bismarck SeaNew Ireland

New Britain

150 E 155 E

Solomon Sea

Bougainville

1000 (or so) anchored FADs1000 (or so) anchored FADs

Papua NewPapua NewGuineaGuinea

Skipjack Survey and Skipjack Survey and Assessment ProgrammeAssessment Programme

1977 1977 –– 19801980

data time seriesdata time series

Regional Tuna Tagging ProjectRegional Tuna Tagging Project1989 1989 –– 19921992

PNG Phase I: tag types for different objectivesPNG Phase I: tag types for different objectives

conventional dart tagsconventional dart tags

sonic transmitting tagssonic transmitting tags

data archiving tagsdata archiving tags

20 km

Oahu

Hawaii sonic tagging research Hawaii sonic tagging research

CO

Yellowfin &Yellowfin &bigeyebigeye

coco--residenceresidence

Rsmall small vsvs large YFTlarge YFT

LL

Yellowfin & bigeyeYellowfin & bigeyelonglong--term residenceterm residence

excursions away from FADsexcursions away from FADs

HonoluluHonolulu

interinter--FAD movementsFAD movements

vertical behaviorvertical behavior

trophic relationshipstrophic relationships

FAD related FAD related catchabilitycatchability

Tag types and objectivesTag types and objectivessonic and archival tags sonic and archival tags –– surgical implantationsurgical implantation

sonic receiverssonic receivers

experimental designexperimental designBasic Hardware (PFRP)Basic Hardware (PFRP)

•• 50 VEMCO VR2 sonic tag receivers50 VEMCO VR2 sonic tag receivers•• 150 V9 sonic 150 V9 sonic pingerpinger tagstags•• 120 V9P depth sensing sonic tags120 V9P depth sensing sonic tags

FAD related FAD related Objectives (size and species specific)Objectives (size and species specific)•• residence time and movement rates residence time and movement rates •• diurnal vertical behavior and finediurnal vertical behavior and fine--scale arrival and departure ratesscale arrival and departure rates•• interinter--FAD movements within FAD clustersFAD movements within FAD clusters•• examine schooling dynamics and synchronicityexamine schooling dynamics and synchronicity

Related studiesRelated studies•• double tagging with geodouble tagging with geo--locating archival tagslocating archival tags•• trophic studies via gut sampling and isotope analysestrophic studies via gut sampling and isotope analyses•• sonic monitoring of seamountssonic monitoring of seamounts•• recapture rates on and off FADsrecapture rates on and off FADs

Cruise 1: receiver equipped FAD clustersCruise 1: receiver equipped FAD clusters

Archival andsonic tag releases SKJ YFT BET TotalV9 sonic alone 7 13 6 26V9P sonic alone 0 6 2 8LTD 1110 archival 0 0 0 0LTD 2410 archival 0 0 1 1MK9 archival 0 1 0 1V9 + LTD 1110 0 0 5 5V9P + LTD 1110 0 1 0 1V9 + LTD 2410 0 0 1 1V9 + MK9 0 6 0 6totals 7 27 15 49

V9s used 7 19 12 38V9Ps used 0 7 2 9Sonic tag releases 7 26 14 47

initial data acquisitioninitial data acquisition

PNG Phase I , … and beyond PNGPNG Phase I , … and beyond PNG

•• Cruise 2 Cruise 2 –– March to June 2007March to June 2007

SPC plans for largerSPC plans for larger--scale tagging programscale tagging program

•• Phase II Phase II –– extension to other areas of the WCPOextension to other areas of the WCPO–– Covering SE Asia to the Central PacificCovering SE Asia to the Central Pacific

•• ApproachApproach–– Funding: several donors targeted, some secured,Funding: several donors targeted, some secured, WCPFC roleWCPFC role–– Larger vessel required, multiLarger vessel required, multi--vessel approach possible, International vessel approach possible, International

collaboration, i.e. IATTC liaison with Eastern Pacific Ocean regcollaboration, i.e. IATTC liaison with Eastern Pacific Ocean regionion

•• Establish a Project Steering Committee, seek WCPF Commission Establish a Project Steering Committee, seek WCPF Commission endorsementendorsement

•• Seek national collaboration/participationSeek national collaboration/participation

the endthe end