2018 update - A short note on the development of WCPFC seabird bycatch estimates for Project 68

The Twelfth Scientific Committee (SC12) developed terms of reference (scope of work) for the
estimation of seabird mortality across the WCPO Convention area, which was endorsed and approved
by the Commission in December 2016, on the basis that the ABNJ Tuna Project may be able to provide
co-funding. In 2017 OFP-SPC developed a paper for the Thirteenth Scientific Committee (SC13)
providing a project outline, a summary of seabird bycatch data held by SPC and a proposed
methodology for estimation (Peatman et al, 2017a). In 2017, SC13 reiterated the scope of the project
and increased its rank from medium to high priority. WCPFC 14 approved the scope and proposed
budgets. FAO signed a Letter of Agreement with WCPFC in February 2018 to provide the co-funding.
The Scientific Service Provider was contracted to undertake Project 68 in late April 2018.

This document outlines the project scope, schedule and reporting milestones.