REPORT OF THE TWELFTH MEETING OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON TUNA AND BILLFISH

CONTENTS: 1. SUMMARY OF DISCUSSIONS, 1. PRELIMINARIES, 1. OPENING CEREMONY, 1. CONFIRMATION OF CHAIRMAN AND APPOINTMENT OF RAPPORTEURS, 2. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA, 2. ADOPTION OF THE REPORT OF THE ELEVENTH MEETING OF THE SCTB, 3. OVERVIEW OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL PACIFIC OCEAN TUNA FISHERIES, 3. REGIONAL OVERVIEW, 5. NATIONAL TUNA FISHERY REPORTS, 17. ECONOMIC CONDITION OF THE FISHERY, 18. REPORTS BY ORGANISATIONS, 20. STATISTICS WORKING GROUP, 20. STATISTICS WORKING GROUP SESSION ON DATA COLLECTION FORMS, 21. COORDINATOR'S REPORT ON DATA COLLECTION, COMPILATION AND DISSEMINATION, 24. STATISTICAL AREAS, 25. FACTORS AFFECTING THE PROPORTION OF BIGEYE IN PURSE SEINE SETS, 27. TOWARDS A REGIONAL SAMPLING DESIGN FOR PORT SAMPLING AND OBSERVER PROGRAMMES, 28. SKIPJACK RESEARCH GROUP, 28. REGIONAL FISHERY DEVELOPMENTS, 30. BIOLOGICAL AND ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH, 32. STOCK ASSESSMENT, 33. RESEARCH COORDINATION AND PLANNING, 33. SUMMARY STATEMENT, 34. ALBACORE RESEARCH GROUP, 34. REGIONAL FISHERY DEVELOPMENTS, 35. BILOGICAL AND ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH, 35. STOCK ASSESSMENT, 36. RESEARCH COORDINATION AND PLANNING, 36. SUMMARY STATEMENT, 38. YELLOWFIN RESEARCH GROUP, 38. REGIONAL FISHERY DEVELOPMENTS, 41. BIOLOGICAL AND ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH, 43. STOCK ASSESSMENT, 47. OTHER ISSUES, 48. RESEARCH COORDINATION AND PLANNING, 49. SUMMARY STATEMENT, 50. BIGEYE RESEARCH GROUP, 50. REGIONAL FISHERY DEVELOPMENTS, 52. BILOGICAL AND ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH, 53. STOCK ASSESSMENT, 55. RESEARCH COORDINATION AND PLANNING, 55. SUMMARY STATEMENT, 56. BILLFISH AND BYCATCH RESEARCH GROUP, 57. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN FISHERIES TAKING BILLFISH, 61. REPORTS ON RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT IN PROGRESS, 67. INTERACTIVE SESSION:SUMMARY OF KNOWLEDGE ON BILLFISHES, 67. FUTURE WORKPLAN, 68. SUMMARY STATEMENT, 69. DISCUSSION ON MHLC, 69. CURRENT STATUS OF MHLC PROCESS AND IMPLICATIONS OF SCTB, 69. AREA TO BE COVERED BY THE CONVENTION, 70. SPECIES TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE CONVENTION, 70. OTHER BUSINESS, 70. CONSIDERATION OF SUMMARY STATEMENTS FROM THE SPECIES RESEARCH GROUPS, 70. DIRECTIVES TO THE STATISTICS WORKING GROUP, 72. CLOSE, 73. TABLES OF ANNUAL CATCH ESTIMATES, 82. AGENDA, 84. LIST OF WORKING PAPERS, 90. LIST OF PARTICIPANTS, 100. OPENING ADDRESS BY THE MINISTER OF MARINE RESOURCES, FRENCH POLYNESIA, 101. MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR TUNA FISHERY CATCH & EFFORT LOGSHEETS, 108. REVIEW OF CATCHA ND EFFORT LOGSHEETS OF THE NEW QEALAND MINISTRY OF FISHERIES, 112. REVIEW OF CANTCH EFFORT LOGSHEETS OF THE AUSTRALIAN FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY, 115. INTERACTIVE SESSION ON ONGOING & PROPOSED MARLIN RESEARCH, 119. SCTB12-PROMPT REPORT, 124. SCIENTIFIC NAMES OF SPECIES, 125. ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS