Presentation about UNCLOS surplus concept in the frame of the EU Common Fisheries Policy to the Conference "Global Trends in Fisheries Governance" organized by the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management Rosenbad Conference Centre, Stockholm, 29–30 January 2014

1. Surplus and sustainability
International Conference on Global Trends in Fisheries Governance
29-30/01/2014, Stockholm
Ernesto Jardim
Iago Mosqueira
European Commission
Joint Research Centre
(JRC)
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2. Problem
In 2012 the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee
for Fisheries (STECF) was requested by the
Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
(DGMARE), to discuss the concept of surplus, as defined
by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), [...]
and suggest methods to evaluate surplus values.
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3. UNCLOS, 1982, Art.62.2
[...] Where the coastal states do not have the capacity to
harvest the entire allowable catch, it shall [...] give other
states access to the surplus of the allowable catch [...].
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4. "capacity to harvest"
STECF, 2011:
[...] the total fishing effort the [...] the coastal country is
able to apply for the exploitation of its EEZ resources.
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5. "allowable catch"
UNCLOS, 1982, Art. 61.3:
[...] maintain or restore populations of harvested species at
levels which can produce the maximum sustainable
yield, as qualified by relevant environmental and economic
factors
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6. Surplus
Computing surplus (S) relies on two elements:
ˆ the maximum sustainable yield (MSY1) (Y)
ˆ the coastal state potential catches (C)
S = Y − C
1or a function of it
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7. Surplus - what’s the problem ?
These two elements, MSY and potential catches, are not
simple to estimate and may have large uncertainties
associated.
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8. Management Strategies Evaluation
1. Build a simulated fishery based on a real stock
(Sardinella aurita in West Africa)
2. Forecast conditional on (realistic!?) scenarios
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9. Management Strategies Evaluation
1. Build a simulated fishery based on a real stock
(Sardinella aurita in West Africa)
2. Forecast conditional on (realistic!?) scenarios
3. Compute MSY (Biomass Dynamic Model)
4. Compute the coastal State potential catches
5. Compute surplus
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10. MSY (2016)
300400500600700
000't
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11. The coastal State’s potential catch
ˆ Is a proportion of the total fishing effort
ˆ Is a proportion of the total allowable catch
ˆ Is a fixed catch
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12. Potential catch (2016)
% effort % TAC fixed catch
0 200 400 600 0 200 400 600 0 200 400 600
000't
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13. Surplus (2016)
% effort % TAC fixed catch
0 200 400 600 0 200 400 600 0 200 400 600
000't
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14. What about sustainability ?
Biomass Yield
time
weight
realization
MSY refpts
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15. Conclusions
ˆ Estimating surplus values is a complex process,
frequently producing results with a large uncertainty.
ˆ Surplus values should be embedded in management
plans, which ideally include:
ˆ management objectives
ˆ harvest control rules
ˆ TAC or effort allocation schemes
ˆ scientific advice
ˆ monitoring
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16. Thank you !
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17. Aknowledgements
EWG 12-04: Bertignac, Michel (IFREMER); Boje, Jesper
(DTU-Aqua); Cardinale, Massimiliano (SLU); Gascuel, Didier
(AGROCAMPUS); Kuikka, Sakari (University of Helsinki);
Brehmer, Patrice (IRD); Corten, Adrianus (Consultant);
Fernandez Peralta, Lourdes (IEO); Garcia, Eva (IEO); Murta,
Alberto (IPIMAR); Scott, Finlay (CEFAS); Sobrino, Ignacio
(IEO); Charef, Aymen (JRC); Millar, Colin Pearson (JRC); Stal,
Johan (SAMWM).
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