Report from the SPC Pre-assessment Workshop – March 2022

Citation
Hamer P (2022) Report from the SPC Pre-assessment Workshop – March 2022. In: WCPFC Scientific Committee 18th Regular Session. WCPFC-SC18-2022/SA-IP-02, Electronic Meeting
Abstract

To help guide stock assessment and related modelling work for the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), the Oceanic Fisheries Programme (OFP) of the Pacific Community (SPC) has sought input from regional stock assessment scientists and representatives from regional fisheries organisations through the SPC pre-assessment workshop (PAW) process. The fourteenth PAW was held from the 29th March – 31st March 2022. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting was held electronically.
This report briefly summarises the various presentations and related comments and discussions with a focus on the important issues and suggestions made. The report does not attribute comments to countries or individuals except where the comment is related to the agreement to provide data or to undertake particular analyses. The stock assessment scientists will address or respond to the recommendations provided in this report to the extent possible. It must be noted that the extent to which suggestions can be incorporated into the stock assessments or other related work prior to the Scientific Committee (SC18) will be constrained by the ability of the models to converge under the assumptions required, and the data

3 time and staff resources available. It should also be noted that the PAW is conducted in the early stages of the development of the assessments, and issues will often come up that are not raised or discussed in the PAW and may change the direction and approaches for the assessment. The stock assessment team may consult with particular individuals and countries as required to provide clarity on specific issues, particularly those related to data inputs. Ultimately the final decisions on model development, data inclusion, and characterising uncertainty are made by the SPC-OFP assessment team, or the SPC-OFP assessment team in consultation with external contractors involved in the assessments or supporting work.

The outcomes of this meeting will be reflected in the papers submitted to WCPFC-SC18.