Philippines Fisheries Officials Committed to Improved Monitoring of Tuna Fisheries

Bicol, Philippines - June 16, 2023 – A series of workshops to improve the Philippines’ capacity to collect and analyze tuna catch data took place over several days in Bicol from May 22-26, 2023. The workshops brought together 50 experts and stakeholders under the Western Pacific East Asia Improved Tuna Monitoring Project (WPEA-ITM), an initiative currently funded by the Government of New Zealand with oversight from the WCPFC. The May workshops were aimed at enhancing the Philippines’ efforts to monitor their tuna fisheries and improve collection of catch data to provide more accurate catch estimates by species and by gear for regional tuna stock assessments in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO). The workshops served as valuable platforms for knowledge exchange and collaboration among stakeholders, paving the way for improved fisheries management and sustainable tuna harvesting practices in the region. The outcomes and recommendations of these workshops are expected to contribute to the overall conservation and sustainable management of tuna populations in the WCPO. WCPFC Assistant Science Manager, Elaine Garvilles, and the Pacific Community’s (SPC) Principal Fisheries Scientist and WCPFC Data Manager, Peter Williams, successfully organized and facilitated the workshop series. Mr. Lars Olsen, WPEA-ITM Project Manager, and Ms. Barbara Hanchard, WPEA- ITM Consultant provided additional support.

For further information, please contact: wcpfc@wcpfc.int

About WCPFC

The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) is one of five global tuna regional fisheries management organizations, responsible for the conservation and sustainable use of highly migratory fish stocks, particularly tuna, in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. Established in 2004, the WCPFC comprises 34 member countries and territories, and seven cooperating-non-members dedicated to promoting the sustainable management of the world’s largest tuna fishery. The WCPFC Secretariat is headquartered in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia.

The objective of the Western Pacific East Asia Improved Tuna Monitoring Project (WPEA-ITM) is to build capacity in Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam to fully engage in regional initiatives to conserve and manage fisheries for highly migratory fish stocks.