Queen conch catch data in the FAO database and a study on conversion factors

1. CFMC/OSPESCA/WECAFC/CRFM WORKING GROUP ON QUEEN CONCH Panama City, Panama, 23-25 October 2012 Queen conch catch data in the FAO database and a study on conversion factors Luca Garibaldi Fisheries and Aquaculture Statistics and Information Service (FIPS) Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

2. FAO, statistics and membernations • The statistics have a main role between the information that FAO compiles and disseminates • “...all Member Nations and Associate Members shall also communicate regularly to the Director-General statistical, technical and other information published or otherwise issued by, or readily available to, the government.” (Article XI of the FAO Constitution) • However, the main reason for which countries have to collect statistics is that without reliable data series effective management and policy-making are impossible

3. Fishery statistics • FAO is the only source of comprehensive global fishery statistics and most reviews of the state of world fisheries, past trends and future prospects rely on FAO statistics • Fishery statistics are generally submitted by national correspondents in the appropriate Ministry or Department of Fisheries • Official data can sometimes be complemented or replaced if better data of other origins are available (e.g. those compiled by the regional fishery bodies managing tuna resources)

4. …fishery statistics - 2 • Data reported by countries are carefully checked and, when data are questionable, the national correspondent is consulted for clarifications. This WP provides an opportunity to verify and revise Queen conch catch data included in the FAO global capture database • If a country does not report its catches or those provided are considered as not reliable, FAO estimates the missing data and marks them in the database with an ‘F’ • Ultimately, the quality of the FAO statistics is dependent upon the accuracy and reliability of the data collected nationally and provided to FAO

5. FAO global capture production database Two fundamental concepts • The flag of the vessel performing the essential part of the fishing operation should be considered the paramount indication of the nationality assigned to the catches. The flag State is responsible for the provision of the relevant data • Data are in live weight(conversion factor to be applied when data refer to catches that have been gutted, eviscerated, filleted, salted, dried, etc.)

6. Plan and deadlines of the FAO yearly inquiry on global fishery statistics • June 2012: dispatch of electronic questionnaires for the 2011 inquiry (since this year paper questionnaires are no longer dispatched unless specifically requested) • 31st August 2012: deadline to return data to FAO • Since September 2012: reminders and contacts with countries which have not returned data (in collaboration with FAO Reps and Regional Offices) • Beginning of March: updated global capture and aquaculture databases are made available on the web

7. Dissemination of the FAO fishery statistics The data compiled are stored in datasets and disseminated through electronic means • FISHSTAT+http://www.fao.org/fishery/statistics/software/fishstat/en • FISHSTATJhttp://www.fao.org/fishery/statistics/software/fishstatj/en • Online query panelhttp://www.fao.org/fishery/topic/16140/en

8. FISHSTATJThe new generation of the FishStat+ software, widely used to consult and extract data from the FAO fishery statistics databases A Java-based application, supports multiple platforms and operative systems (e.g. Windows, Linux and MAC)

9. ...FISHSTATJ -2 • It isorganized in the followingworkspaces: • Global datasets (included in the FishStatJ download) • Total fishery production • Capture production • Aquaculture production • Fisheries commodities production and trade • Regional datasets (available for download as a separate workspace) • CECAF (Eastern Central Atlantic) capture production • GFCM (Mediterranean and Black Sea) capture production • RECOFI capture production • Southeast Atlantic capture production

10. Current situation of Queenconch catch data available in the FAO capture database • Queenconch catch data for 25 countries and territories are currentlyavailable in the FAO capture database • Two other countries (i.e. Costa Rica and Panama) have reported Strombusspp catch data only for the Pacific side but it could be that they were misreported • There are no data for three countries/territories (i.e. Barbados, Dominica and Martinique)

11. Queen conch catch trend as extracted from the FAO capture database

12. ...Queen conch catch trend - 2

13. Conversion factors for Queen conch • Why do we need conversion factors for Queen conch? In order to be comparable among countries and allow consistent studies on regional trend, all Queen conch catch data have to be in live weight (with shell) • Current situation:the standard conversion factor ‘7.5’ is applied for generic conversion from “meat weight” to “live weight” as most countries do not specify to what processing grade their data refer • The standard conversion factor ‘7.5’ has been applied to data reported in “meat weight” by the following countries/territories: Anguilla, Antigua, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Vincent, Turks & Caicos, US VirginIs. • Conversion factor ‘8.47’ has been applied to data by Nicaragua

14. ...conversion factors for Queen conch - 2 • In February 2007, FAO and OSPESCA organized in Panama City a workshop on the “Improvement of information on Queen conch capture fishery in the Central American and Caribbean region” • The need for conversion factors enabling conversion of weights of processed products to live weight was identified as a priority • Participants from the Dominican Republic,Honduras and Nicaragua volunteered to carry out a field survey to determine the conversion factors for the main processing grades

15. ...conversion factors for Queen conch - 3 Description of main processing grades considered in the surveys Source: FAO Fisheries Circular no. 1042

16. ...conversion factors for Queen conch - 4 Main processing grades: how they look like It is very important to have a standardized terminology for processing grades at the regional level

17. ...conversion factors for Queen conch - 5 Results of surveys in the three countries and proposed conversion factors Source: FAO Fisheries Circular no. 1042

18. Suggested next steps • Participants who have not yet verified the Queen conch catch data for their country in the FAO database are kindly requested to do so, also specifying the processing grade and any conversion factor applied • Processing grades should be standardized at the regional level and possibly simplified(reduced to 3?) • Conversion factors proposed in the FAO Fish. Circ. 1042 should be complemented with those already available from other countries or additional ad hoc surveys carried out • A consolidated proposal for “Regional conversion factors” should be prepared and discussed by the Queen Conch Working Group

19. Many thanks for your attention Muchasgracias por vuestraatención Merci beaucoup pour votre attention