Eastern Pacific Ocean Purse-seine Fishery

This data set contains vessel logbook and landings data sets from U.S.A.-flagged purse-seine vessels fishing in the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO). These purse seiners range in size from small coastal vessels to large offshore vessels. Historically, California-based large purse-seine vessels targeted tropical tunas in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP), but these vessels have moved to the western-central Pacific Ocean (see WCPO Purse-seine Fishery) and only occasionally fish in the EPO. Smaller coastal purse-seine vessels target sardine, anchovy, mackerel, and other coastal pelagic species (CPS), but opportunistically fish for bluefin tuna when they are available in the California Bight. Logbook and landings data have been collected from 1952 - present by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC). Large purse-seine vessels carry biological observers to monitor interactions with dolphins as a requirement of the Marine Mammals Protection Act and other bycatch species. The IATTC manages the observer program, however historical NMFS observer data are managed by the SWFSC Protected Resources Division.

Data gathered from the EPO purse-seine fishery are used in analyses of the status of tunas in the EPO. Catch data are used to monitor the status of key tuna stocks.

Large purse-seine vessels that wish to fish in the EPO must register on the IATTC vessel registry (or opt for one trip per year) and carry an IATTC observer (or cross-over endorsed observer from the WCPO). Data are collected by NMFS and IATTC for these trips. Coastal purse-seine vessels that plan to target HMS must register with the IATTC vessel registry, be permitted by NMFS, and carry an IATTC logbook. Comparisons of landings and logbooks collected indicate that some logbooks are missing in some years for small coastal vessels.

Public domain data (catch by year, flag, gear, species) for the EPO Purse-seine fishery can be accessed on the IATTC website. IATTC also has data on size composition (port sampling), observers, and tagging. Historical NMFS observer data is managed by the SWFSC Protected Resources Division.

Attributes describe areas, dates, catches, fishing effort, sizes of fish.

The data are confidential and can only be presented in summarized form to the public. Researchers with appropriate clearance can access the more detailed data.

Contact point of contact. Supply official request for data and purpose of that request.

NMFS personnel need a signed non-disclosure agreement statement to access the detailed data. There are no constraints on access to summarized data.

coverage rates vary by year but are generally greater than 50%. Large purse seine vessels are required to submit logbook data to IATTC and sometimes required to carry IATTC observers.

Data are edited by IATTC staff. Data are also edited by SWFSC in cooperation with IATTC

MSA

Data are stored on agency servers following standard agency security policies

Logbook data are supplied directly to IATTC and shared with SWFSC on an ad-hoc basis. Size data are collected by IATTC. Landings outside the USA are collected and maintained by IATTC