Second Ad Hoc Task Group [Data]

The terms of reference for the AHTG[data] was tabled at WCPFC5 by the AHTG[data] Chair. 

1. The Ad Hoc Task Group [Data] (AHTG [Data]) will principally work electronically.

2. The AHTG [Data] may meet physically, from time to time, at a time and place to be agreed by the Commission. Such decisions may be made inter-sessionally in accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the Commission.

3. Physical meetings of the AHTG [Data] will normally be associated with sessions of the Commission, its subsidiary bodies or meetings of other bodies established by the Commission.

4. The tasks of the AHTG [Data] include, inter alia:
a. To provide the Commission with advice and recommendations in relation to, inter alia, the implementation of the Commission’s Rules and Procedures for the Protection, Access to, and Dissemination of Data Compiled by the Commission;
b. To liaise on data-related matters with other data-related initiatives of the Commission such as the Scientific Committee’s Statistics Specialist Working Group, the VMS Technical Working Group (VMS TWG) and the Inter-sessional Working Group for the Regional Observer Programme (IWG-ROP);

c. As priority tasks for 2008:
i. draft rules and procedures for access to and dissemination of non-public domain data associated with compliance and enforcement activities on the high seas, for consideration and adoption by the Commission (as proposed at paragraph 23 of the Rules and Procedures for the Protection, Access to, and Dissemination of Data Compiled by the
Commission); and
ii. in consultation with the VMS TWG, ensure the rules and procedures developed in respect of paragraph 23 of the Rules and Procedures for the Protection, Access to, and Dissemination of Data Compiled by the Commission include rules for making VMS data available for scientific purposes.

5. The Commission may revise the tasks listed above at paragraph 4 from time to time.

6. The AHTG [Data] will report on its work to the Commission and its subsidiary bodies.

Current work (2012/13)

Informal meetings of the AHTG-Data were led in the margins of WCPFC9 by Ana Taholo (Tonga) and focused on data access issues associated with chartering arrangements (WCFPC9-2012-31).  WCPFC9 noted the report of the informal meetings of AHTG-Data (WCPFC9-2012-36), including its proposed workplan for 2013 and tasked the AHTG-Data to continue to work intersessionally on procedures to facilitate chartering CCMs access to WCPFC data.

WCPFC9 Circular No.: 2013/07 stated the following:

"WCPFC9 summary report paragraph 415 tasked the AHTG-Data to continue to work intersessionally on the procedures to facilitate chartering CCMs access to WCPFC data. In accordance with the adopted workplan, CCMs are to provide response back to chair of the AHTG-Data on the propose changes in the rules by May 31, 2013.  One CCM provided comments.