Transcript FISHSTATJ - Strombus gigas

CFMC/OSPESCA/WECAFC/CRFM WORKING GROUP ON QUEEN CONCH
Panama City, Panama, 23-25 October 2012
Queen conch catch data
in the FAO database and
a study on conversion factors
Luca Garibaldi
Fisheries and Aquaculture Statistics and Information Service (FIPS)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
FAO, statistics and member nations
 The statistics have a main role between the
information that FAO compiles and disseminates
 “...all Member Nations and Associate Members
shall also communicate regularly to the DirectorGeneral statistical, technical and other
information published or otherwise issued by, or
readily available to, the government.”
(Article XI of the FAO Constitution)
 However, the main reason for which countries
have to collect statistics is that without reliable
data series effective management and policymaking are impossible
Fishery statistics
 FAO is the only source of comprehensive
global fishery statistics and most reviews of
the state of world fisheries, past trends and
future prospects rely on FAO statistics
 Fishery statistics are generally submitted by
national correspondents in the appropriate
Ministry or Department of Fisheries
 Official data can sometimes be complemented
or replaced if better data of other origins are
available (e.g. those compiled by the regional
fishery bodies managing tuna resources)
…fishery statistics - 2
 Data reported by countries are carefully checked and,
when data are questionable, the national correspondent
is consulted for clarifications. This WP provides an
opportunity to verify and revise Queen conch catch
data included in the FAO global capture database
 If a country does not report its catches or those
provided are considered as not reliable, FAO
estimates the missing data and marks them in the
database with an ‘F’
 Ultimately, the quality of the FAO statistics is
dependent upon the accuracy and reliability of the
data collected nationally and provided to FAO
FAO global capture production database
Two fundamental concepts
 The flag of the vessel performing the essential
part of the fishing operation should be considered
the paramount indication of the nationality
assigned to the catches. The flag State is
responsible for the provision of the relevant data
 Data are in live weight (conversion factor to be
applied when data refer to catches that have been
gutted, eviscerated, filleted, salted, dried, etc.)
Plan and deadlines of the FAO yearly
inquiry on global fishery statistics
 June 2012: dispatch of electronic questionnaires for
the 2011 inquiry (since this year paper questionnaires
are no longer dispatched unless specifically
requested)
 31st August 2012: deadline to return data to FAO
 Since September 2012: reminders and contacts with
countries which have not returned data (in
collaboration with FAO Reps and Regional Offices)
 Beginning of March: updated global capture and
aquaculture databases are made available on the web
Dissemination of the FAO fishery statistics
The data compiled are stored in datasets and
disseminated through electronic means
 FISHSTAT+
http://www.fao.org/fishery/statistics/software/fishstat/en
 FISHSTATJ
http://www.fao.org/fishery/statistics/software/fishstatj/en
 Online query panel
http://www.fao.org/fishery/topic/16140/en
FISHSTATJ
The new generation of the FishStat+ software,
widely used to consult and extract data from the
FAO fishery statistics databases
A Java-based application, supports multiple platforms
and operative systems (e.g. Windows, Linux and MAC)
...FISHSTATJ -2
It is organized in the following workspaces:
Global datasets (included in the FishStatJ download)
•Total fishery production
•Capture production
•Aquaculture production
•Fisheries commodities production and trade
Regional datasets (available for download as a separate workspace)
•CECAF (Eastern Central Atlantic) capture production
•GFCM (Mediterranean and Black Sea) capture production
•RECOFI capture production
•Southeast Atlantic capture production
Current situation of Queen conch catch data
available in the FAO capture database
 Queen conch catch data for 25 countries and
territories are currently available in the FAO
capture database
 Two other countries (i.e. Costa Rica and
Panama) have reported Strombus spp catch
data only for the Pacific side but it could be that
they were misreported
 There are no data for three countries/territories
(i.e. Barbados, Dominica and Martinique)
Queen conch catch trend as extracted from
the FAO capture database
...Queen conch catch trend - 2
Conversion factors for Queen conch
 Why do we need conversion factors for Queen conch?
In order to be comparable among countries and allow
consistent studies on regional trend, all Queen conch
catch data have to be in live weight (with shell)
 Current situation: the standard conversion factor ‘7.5’
is applied for generic conversion from “meat weight”
to “live weight” as most countries do not specify to
what processing grade their data refer
• The standard conversion factor ‘7.5’ has been applied to data
reported in “meat weight” by the following countries/territories:
Anguilla, Antigua, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras,
Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Vincent, Turks & Caicos, US Virgin Is.
• Conversion factor ‘8.47’ has been applied to data by Nicaragua
...conversion factors for Queen conch - 2
 In February 2007, FAO and OSPESCA organized in
Panama City a workshop on the “Improvement of
information on Queen conch capture fishery in the
Central American and Caribbean region”
 The need for conversion factors enabling
conversion of weights of processed products to
live weight was identified as a priority
 Participants from the Dominican Republic,
Honduras and Nicaragua volunteered to carry out
a field survey to determine the conversion factors
for the main processing grades
...conversion factors for Queen conch - 3
Description of main processing grades
considered in the surveys
Source: FAO Fisheries Circular no. 1042
...conversion factors for Queen conch - 4
Main processing grades:
how they look like
It is very important to have a standardized terminology
for processing grades at the regional level
...conversion factors for Queen conch - 5
Results of surveys in the three countries and
proposed conversion factors
Source: FAO Fisheries Circular no. 1042
Suggested next steps
 Participants who have not yet verified the Queen
conch catch data for their country in the FAO database
are kindly requested to do so, also specifying the
processing grade and any conversion factor applied
 Processing grades should be standardized at the
regional level and possibly simplified (reduced to 3?)
 Conversion factors proposed in the FAO Fish. Circ. 1042
should be complemented with those already available
from other countries or additional ad hoc surveys
carried out
 A consolidated proposal for “Regional conversion
factors” should be prepared and discussed by the
Queen Conch Working Group
Many thanks for your attention
Muchas gracias por vuestra atención
Merci beaucoup pour votre attention