Improving Conservation and Management of Sharks in the EPO

Sharks are caught in large numbers as either target or bycatch species by multi-species and multi-gear artisanal fisheries throughout eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) coastal states. However, reliable fishery statistics, such as catch, effort, and composition data are scarce in these fisheries, which is problematic for stock assessment purposes. To address this issue, the staff at IATTC has conducted extensive research since 2014 to develop a robust sampling methodology aimed at improving data collection for shark fisheries1 in Central America. This region is believed to account for a significant portion of the EPO shark catch, making it a critical area for data collection improvements. This work, funded by the FAO-GEF ABNJ (“Tuna 1”) project, IATTC Capacity Building Fund, and the European Union, was completed in December 2021. Two research documents summarizing the results of the recent work conducted in Central America are presented at SAC-14. The first document presents revised estimates of the catch of silky and hammerhead sharks by artisanal fisheries in Central America (SAC-14 INF-L). The second document consists of a staff's proposal for a long-term sampling program for shark fisheries in Central America is available for consideration by IATTC members (SAC-14 INF-P). This program is part of the "shark research workplan" in the new proposed IATTC Strategic Science Plan (2025-2029; SAC-14-01a).