Purpose

To ensure that participants at the 21^st Working Party on Data Collection and Statistics (WPDCS21) revise the Programme of Work for the WPDCS by taking into consideration the specific requests of the Commission and Scientific Committee.

Background

At the 21^st Session of the SC:

(Para. 219) The SC noted paper IOTC–2018–SC21–09 which provided the Scientific Committee (SC) with a proposed Program of Work for each of its Working Parties (WP), including prioritisation of the elements requested by each WP.

(Para. 220) The SC noted the proposed Program of Work and priorities for the Scientific Committee and each of the Working Parties and AGREED to a consolidated Program of Work as outlined in Appendix 35a-g. The Chairpersons and Vice-Chairpersons of each working party shall ensure that the efforts of their working party are focused on the core areas contained within the appendix, taking into account any new research priorities identified by the Commission at its next Session.

(Para. 223) The SC noted that the consolidated table of priorities does not replace the full programme of work of each Working Party (Appendix 35a-g) and that adequate attention and focus should still be allocated to those activities where possible. The SC further noted that Table 5 has been developed by the SC and WP Chairs to provide more specific direction to the IOTC Secretariat and the SC Chair as to the priorities of the SC so that, if and when external funding becomes available intersessionally, it is possible to clearly prioritise across all WPs based on the objectives of the SC (as agreed in IOTC–2014–SC17–R, para. 179).

(Para. 225) The SC noted Table 5 outlining the highest priorities from each WP in terms of funding requirements. The complete set of research priorities identified (and ranked according to their importance) by each WP are detailed more fully in Appendix 35a-g.