Fishing craft statistics

Definition: The term Fishing Craft refers to highly aggregated statistics per fleet, gear, type/size/range of boat and year for the entire IOTC Area. These include:

·         Numbers of active fishing crafts targeting IOTC species (or sharks) within the IOTC Area during a calendar year.
·         Numbers of active fishing crafts targeting other species: but catching IOTC species or main shark species as a bycatch within the IOTC Area during a calendar year.

IOTC Form: Form 2FC

Structure of the form:

·         ReadMe: links to all code lists required for filling-up the forms.

·         FC: The main form to complete the fishing craft statistics

 General Information:

·         Reporting Source: details about the individual reporting the information and the Institution responsible for the report.

a.       Contact name: Name of the individual reporting the information

b.      Contact e-mail address: E-mail of the individual reporting the information

c.       Contact phone: Phone number of the individual reporting the information

d.      Organization name: Name of the organization responsible for the report

e.       Organization e-mail address: E-mail of the organization responsible for the report 

·         Dataset:  General information about the dataset reported.

a.       Reporting Country: The country reporting the fishing craft statistics (code list: FLG)

b.      Flag Country: The country for which the numbers of active fishing crafts are reported(code list: FLG)

c.       Year: The calendar year of activity

Data:

·         Type of Fishery: The type of fishery for which the fishing craft statistics are reported (code list: FIS)

·         Type of data: Type of statistics reported.

a.      Preliminary statistics: The fishing craft statistics were estimated by using some information from the fishery; the data reported are likely to change in the future as more information become available.

b.      Final statistics: The fishing craft statistics were estimated by using the complete set of data for the fishery and year concerned; the data reported are unlikely to change in the future.

·         Data Sources: The types of information that were used for the estimation of fishing craft statistics for the fishery concerned (Code list: DSO)

·         Data Processing: The type of estimation procedure (code list: DPR)

·       Coverage: The proportion of fishing crafts monitored (sampled, in number) over the total number of crafts estimated for the fishery concerned (code list: COV).

·         Type of boat, including:

a.       Boat type: Fishing boats are classified according to their shape and the purpose for which they were built (e.g. boats built to act as stern trawlers, multi-purpose, etc.). A boat that has been classified under a specific type shall not change over time, unless such boat undergoes major structural changes (e.g. significant changes in hull shape and / or size and/or material). For instance, the vessel type for stern trawlers whose decks have been modified for longlining or fiberglass longliners that have been modified for squid jigging will remain as beam trawlers and fiberglass longliners, respectively (if those modifications did not imply major changes in boat shape). (code list: BOT).

The list contains several types of boat known to the IOTC. It is important to note that these are not explicit all boat types. Countries using types of boat other than those specified  in the list are encouraged to provide this information to the Secretariat.

b.      Boat Mechanization: lists the types of boat mechanization used by the IOTC (code list: MEC).

c.     Onboard fish preservation: Refers to the main type of onboard preservation that is used for specimens of the target species (code list: OBPV). 

d.      Onboard fish processing: Refers to the main type of onboard fish processing that is used for specimens of the target species (code list: OBPC). 

·         Boat size class and units: The boat size categories used at the IOTC (code list: SZC).  

IOTC CPC’s and other parties are encouraged to report vessel size categories in length (length overall; LOA) for their fisheries. Fish carrying capacity, measured in tonnes, or gross tonnage (GT) can be used alternatively in the case that LOA is not available. IOTC CPC’s should make every possible effort to classify their fleets according to the categories recorded in list and report this information to the Secretariat. Alternative size categories can be used for fleets for which this information is not available.

·         Target species: Main species targeted (code list: TSPC)

·        Number of boats: Total number of fishing crafts operated during the calendar year concerned.