Bycatch Mitigation Information System

The Bycatch Mitigation Information System (BMIS) is an online resource for fisheries managers, scientists, fishers and the general public. It was conceived as a project of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) to centralise information on the mitigation and management of bycatch in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) and make it readily available. The BMIS can be accessed via the WCPFC website at: http://bmis.wcpfc.int/index.php In 2012, the BMIS stands as a successful reference and educational tool supporting the Commission's responsibilities with regard to the sustainable management of non-target, or bycatch, species in WCPO fisheries - those fisheries targeting highly migratory species, including tuna and billfish. The history of the development of the BMIS can be followed through papers presented at previous WCPFC Scientific Committee (SC) meetings. Specifications for a database system were first presented in an information paper at the WCPFC Scientific Committee (SC) meeting in 2007 (Williams 2007, SC3-EB-IP-02). Updates on BMIS progress were presented in information papers at SC6 in 2010 (Fitzsimmons 2010, SC6-EB-IP-06) and SC7 in 2011 (Fitzsimmons 2011, SC7-EB-IP-03). The following report gives a brief description of the BMIS and provides an update on progress in the population and development of the database. An overview of plans to expand the scope of the BMIS and the impetus behind this system enhancement is detailed.