Bycatch data exchange protocol

The current paper implements a recommendation from the Twelfth Scientific Committee to continue a trial of the Bycatch Data Exchange Protocol. The Pacific Community has prepared and formatted the bycatch data it holds on behalf of the WCPFC into the Bycatch Data Exchange Protocol for 2013-2016. The tables are submitted as an Excel file associated with this paper, along with proposed text for the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission website. Generic issues related to the development of the Bycatch Data Exchange Protocol are raised in the Thirteenth Scientific Committee paper on data gaps and related issues. Concurrent work on other research in 2017 has addressed some of the issues identified in 2016, in particular estimating mortality rates for purse seine, the filtering of data according to the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission data rules with respect to vessel names, and providing information on observer coverage at 5°x5° resolution. The further development of the Bycatch Management Information System provides an opportunity to progress the Bycatch Data Exchange Protocol work including progressing a trial regional Bycatch Data Exchange Protocol compilation for purse seine at the scale of the Pacific Ocean, in co-operation with the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission and the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna Secretariats. In summary, the Bycatch Data Exchange Protocol work is being continued and is improving the quality of, and access to, bycatch data.