Indian Ocean Tuna Commission - Commission des thons de l'océan Indien
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meetings > working parties > on ecosystems and bycatch (wpeb)

 
 
about the WPeb (previously called wpby)
objective

The Working Party on ecosystems and bycatch will include the specific tasks listed below:

1. Monitoring

  • Create and maintain an inventory of non-target, associated and dependent species caught by fleets targeting tuna and tuna-like species in the Indian Ocean.
  • Improve conventional statistics (catch, effort, size) of species under the IOTC mandate that are caught incidentally in non-targeted fisheries.
  • Monitor and improve information on interactions with species that are not under the IOTC mandate, with emphasis on those species of interest to the Commission and for which no Species Group has been established (e.g., sharks, sea turtles and sea birds).
  • Facilitate access by scientists to oceanographic and environmental data.

2. Research

  • Evaluate the relative impact of the different abiotic and biotic factors (including oceanographic and climate phenomena, directed and incidental fishing, predation, competition, pollutions and other human impacts) that affect the abundance, distribution and migration of IOTC species.
  • Characterize main feeding and reproductive habitats of IOTC species.
  • Characterize the volume, composition and disposition of non-target species that are caught incidentally in tuna and tunalike fisheries within the IOTC Convention area.
  • Investigate trophic interactions of IOTC species.
  • Investigate the impact that changes in fishing gears or fishing technology have on the catch of target and non-target species.

3. Modelling

  • Develop and monitor reference points and indicators that explicitly incorporate ecosystem considerations.
  • Participate in the development of simulation, dynamic and statistical models focusing on mixed-fisheries, multi-species, by-catch and ecosystem issues.

4. Advice

  • Develop mechanisms which can be used to better integrate ecosystem considerations into the scientific advice provided by Scientific Committee to the Commission.
  • Investigate through operational models, potential benefits at an ecosystem level of alternative management strategies, such as time-area closures.
  • Advise on the impacts of tuna and tuna-like fisheries on the populations of non-target species of interest to the Commission
chairman
To be elected

4th Session of the wpeb (previously called working party on bycatch, WPBy)
dates
20 to 22 October 2008,
venue

Maruay Garden Hotel
Grand Balloom C
1 Phaholyothin Road, Chatuchak,Bangkok, Thailand.

Tel: +(66) 2 561 0510-47
Fax: +(66) 2 579 1182, 561-0510-47

[Click here] for accomodation and travel information

. report
no report available.
agenda and documents
[click here...] for the list of available documents.

meetings to date
Click here to consult the list of the previous Sessions of the WPby, with links to download the Reports and the presented documents.

Please contact the Secretariat for any other details.
  Most documents are in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF 5) : get the free Acrobat Reader here.


questions or comments about this website? Send an e-mail to secretariat@iotc.org.

last updated : September 12, 2008 / © IOTC 2001-2004