Description of reported catch data for non-target species: does sufficient data exist to produce a comprehensive Ecological Risk Assessment?

This document presents a review of catch data available for target and non-target species from fisheries operating in the eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) for the purposes of developing a comprehensive Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA). Both target and non-target species catch are reported to the IATTC by fisheries operating within the EPO. Unfortunately, while relatively good information is available for tunas and billfishes from many fisheries, information for non-target species is limited. An exception is the purse-seine fishery of large vessels (Class 6; carrying capacity > 363 metric tons). Non-target species catch data (both retained and discarded) are collected by onboard observers under the Agreement on the International Dolphin Conservation Program (AIDCP) for nearly all trips of large purse-seine vessels. Although some information on retained catches of non-target species is reported for small purse-seine (Class 1-5; ≤ 363 metric tons carrying capacity), pole-and-line, and longline, the information appears to be incomplete, not validated, and/or is of limited use for an ERA because species identifications were not provided or could not be verified. In addition, information on at-sea discards is limited for fisheries other than those of large purse-seine vessels. This lack of fundamental information on species composition and catch biomass severely compromises our ability to produce a comprehensive EPO ERA. Progressing in the absence of such critical data is likely to lead to inappropriate management action.