Coastal Fisheries Programme
Home PUBLICATIONS Bulletins & Newsletter
FNL_NewLogo

Number 145 (SeptemberDecember 2014)

Produced by the Information Section, Division of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Ecosystems, SPC, B.P. D5, 98848 Noumea Cedex, New Caledonia. Fax: (687) 263818.

Produced with financial assistance from France, Australia, New Zealand and the European Union.

Editorial

Three articles in this issue are related to sharks. Not surprising as the critical status of many coastal and oceanic shark populations definitely calls for attention... and action.

First, Shelton Harley (p. 4) reports about a recent SPC study showing that some tuna longline boats operating in the equatorial Pacific Ocean were specifically targeting sharks by adding shark lines to their fishing gear. The results of the study helped reinforce the call for a ban of this technique, which was partly adopted at the December meeting of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission.

Second, Éric Clua and Serge Planes (p. 19) summarise the discussions of a five-day workshop dedicated to find ways “to reinforce the partnership between sharks and humans”. According to the authors, if the workshop conclusions had to be summarised in only one statement, it would be “A sole priority: Take action”.

Third, Shelley Clarke (p. 49) uses four common suppositions about the relationship between shark fishing and the shark trade to explore several ways that shark catch and trade data could be used in combination to better conserve shark populations. She concludes by observing that while humankind’s constantly increasing appetite for sharks poses a great threat to their populations, “it also represents a powerful opportunity to strengthen fisheries management by using trade statistics as a new tool for conservation”.

Aymeric Desurmont
Fisheries Information Specialist

 

 

fnl145_cover

Hammerheads are among the shark species that most need protection (image: Alan C. Egan, http://alancegan.com)

In this issue

SPC ACTIVITIES

  • What do tuna look for in the deep sea? (pdf: )

  • The best way to protect heavily depleted shark populations? Stop trying to catch them! (pdf: )

  • Predicting the distribution of deepwater snappers in the western and central Pacific Ocean (pdf: )

  • Bagan and pole-and-line fishing trials in Kavieng, Papua New Guinea (pdf: )

  • Pacific Islands fisheries observers (pdf: )

NEWS FROM IN AND AROUND THE REGION

  • Niue coconut crab assessment and training (pdf: )

  • Sharks and humans: How to reinforce the partnership (pdf: )

  • Selling and marketing fish in the Solomon Islands (pdf: )

  • Samoa Aquaculture Section team fully involved in giant clam farming (pdf: )

  • Tridacna noae is back (pdf: )

  • A workshop to learn the basics of coral identification (pdf: )

  • Fafa Island, a very special management area (pdf: )

  • SSF guidelines endorsed... What are the next steps? (pdf: )

FEATURE ARTICLES

  • Oceanographic characterisation of the Pacific Ocean and the potential impact of climate variability on tuna stocks and tuna fisheries
    by Simon Nicol et al.(pdf: )

  • Re-examining the shark trade as a tool for conservation
    by Shelley Clarke (pdf: )



pdfDownload the complete publication:

Fisheries Newsletter #145 (pdf: )

 


 

 
   SPC Homepage | Copyright © SPC 2021