Progress and planning from the ICCAT Sub-group on EMS

The WGEMS was presented with the progress of the ICCAT/SCRS Subgroup on Electronic Monitoring Systems, which is currently a Sub-Group of the ICCAT Sub-Committee on Statistics (SC-STATS). This sub-Group has noted the status of EMS trials and previous work in purse seine fisheries for ICCAT. Recommendations with regards to minimum standards for purse seine fleets wishing to voluntarily implement EMS are mentioned in the 2016 and 2017 SCRS reports (SCRS, 201, 2017), and details are provided by Ruiz et al (2017). With regards to longline or other fisheries, the SCRS does have at this stage recommendations for minimum standards on EMS. Therefore, this Subgroup was created, with the aims of 1) collecting and analyzing past studies comparing data products from observers and EMS; 2) beginning to describe the status of knowledge on EMS; 3) identifying possible knowledge gaps and the need for additional experimental trials; and 4) reviewing the draft EMS guidelines produced by the ICCAT IMM (Integrated Monitoring Measures), when needed. This subgroup will continue to work in later 2021 and during 2022, aiming to try to provide a response to the SCRS in 2022.