Tenth Regular Session of the Technical and Compliance Committee (TCC10) Concludes in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia

The Tenth Regular Session of the Technical and Compliance Committee (TCC10) was held 25- 30 September 2014 in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia.  Around 150 WCPFC Commissioners, MCS officers, and fishery managers attended the meeting, representing WCPFC Members, Cooperating Non-Members, Participating Territories, and observers from inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations.  The meeting was chaired by Ms Rhea Moss-Christian from Federated States of Micronesia.

TCC10 had a lengthy review of the full draft Compliance Monitoring Report covering 2013 activities prepared by the Secretariat in accordance with CMM 2013-02, and but successfully agreed to recommend a provisional Compliance Monitoring Report to the Commission for consideration at WCPFC11.  Reports of the WCPFC MCS Programmes administered by the Secretariat were also reviewed by TCC10, and they covered the WCPFC VMS, Regional Observer Programme, High Seas Transshipment Monitoring, High Seas Boarding and Inspection (HSBI), Record of Fishing Vessels, Eastern High Seas Pocket Special Management Area (EHSP-SMA), WCPFC Secretariat Integrated-MCS Information Management Systems and online reporting IT tools, and gaps in Scientific data submissions.  TCC10 also received reports from the Chairs of Intersessional Working Group processes: from Mr Raymond Clarke (USA) who reported on the outcomes of the WCPFC Electronic Monitoring and Reporting Workshop held 31 March – 1 April 2014 in Honiara, Solomon Islands; from Mr Alois Kinol (PNG) who reported on outcome of the WCPFC Intersessional Working Group on Catch Documentation Scheme Workshop held 24 September in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia; and from Ms Alexa Cole (USA) who provided a progress report on the Intersessional Working Group charged with developing a process for responses to non-compliance (CMM 2013-02 paragraph 24).  A number of proposed new CMMs were discussed at TCC10, including Port State Measures proposal (FFA); Harvest Strategy Proposal (Australia); Proposal on target reference point for skipjack (PNA + Tokelau); and Proposal on CMM for provision of operational-level catch and effort data (FFA).  TCC10 participants also reviewed and discussed some possible refinements to existing CMMs: including CMM 2013-01 (Bigeye, Yellowfin and Skipjack); CMM 2010-05 (South Pacific Albacore); CMM 2010-07 (Sharks) CMM 2013-03 (Record of Fishing Vessels Standard Specifications and Procedures); CMM 2010-02 (Eastern High Seas Pocket Special Management Area) and CMM 2011-02 (Commission VMS).  It is expected that all CMM proposals will be further developed with a view to them being tabled as proposals for consideration at WCPFC11, and MOW3 meeting as appropriate.  TCC10 also provided recommendations to WCPFC11 on the WCPFC IUU list (CMM 2010-06) and Cooperating Non-Member Applications (CMM 2009-11). 

Next meeting (TCC11) is provisionally scheduled for 24 – 29 September 2015 in Pohnpei and will be agreed at WCPFC11 in December 2014.

Pictured in photo (left to right): Dr Manu Tupou-Roosen (Legal Counsel, FFA); Ms Rhea Moss-Christian (TCC Chair); Ms ‘Ana Taholo (Assistant-Compliance Manager, WCPFC); Dr Lara Manarangi-Trott (Compliance Manager and Officer in Charge, WCPFC); Ms Pamela Maru (Fisheries Management Adviser, FFA); Ms Natilima Tupou (Secretariat of the Pacific Islands Tuna Industry Association).