22nd Regular Session of the Scientific Committee: Full Annotated Agenda

SC22 will consider a report from the SSP on Scientific Data Available to the WCPFC and make relevant recommendations to the Commission that address any identified data gaps in WCPFC’s scientific data holdings. The report will cover sources of data gaps, including historical and persistent data gaps, operational data coverage, incomplete data submissions, challenges in collecting size data, and limitations of current observer coverage rates.

SC22 will consider recommendations to improve size composition data sampling based on analyses of data coverage and sampling imbalances, as well as updated conversion factors derived from contemporary data, particularly for conversions with uncertain or missing source data, and provide comments and further guidance as needed. SC22 will also consider endorsement of a standard proforma with a set of questions to provide information on size data collections submitted to the WCPFC (for data not collected under the ROP). This proforma will ensure that records are maintained on how size data is collected by CCMs that provide these data, and if there are changes in the way it is collected over time. 

• Project 127a represents an extension and enhancement of Project 127, addressing key gaps identified in SC21-ST-WP-02 and subsequent discussions, with additional resources to advance priorities identified in the project extension. Building on the initial consolidation and review of size composition data sources and conversion factors, the project focuses on issues related to uneven spatial and fleet sampling coverage, data representativeness, and uncertainty in conversion factors. Consistent with ISG-05 recommendations, Project 127a will undertake detailed statistical and spatial analyses of size composition data collection patterns, with a focus on yellowfin and bigeye tuna, to identify over- and under-sampling and provide practical recommendations to improve future sampling design. In parallel, it will strengthen conversion factor reliability by targeting poorly documented length-length and weight-weight relationships through new sampling efforts, including support to SOCCSKSARGEN and observer programs.

SC22 will review progress under Project 114 on improving cannery receipt data. The review will cover efforts to expand data coverage through collaboration with CCMs and processor companies, and any updates on a dedicated workshop that SC21 requested of the SSP. 

SC22 will further consider updated analyses demonstrating the value of cannery data as an independent source to improve purse seine species composition estimates. This includes consideration of the limitations of observer data, which currently sample less than 0.2% of catch, and the growing coverage of cannery data, which represent approximately half of total catches.

The SSP will present its planned data management improvements, including the development of a web-based data submission portal, enhanced data quality control mechanisms, and improved access to data and data summaries. SC22 will consider progress on the standardisation of Scientific Data (SciData) submissions in 2026.

• At WCPFC22, the Commission agreed to implement standardized templates to support CCM’s submission of scientific data to improve efficiency, consistency, and data quality. The templates were made available through each CCM’s Annual Report Part 2 reporting link on their respective reporting dashboard on the secure side of the WCPFC website.

SC22 will review any proposals to improve data reporting requirements. 

SC22 will note ongoing improvements and the need for continued maintenance and updating of the MULTIFAN-CL software. The Committee will briefly review these updates and provide comments or recommendations as appropriate.

SC22 will review progress under Project 123, including the initial design of new assessment software, the development of spatio-temporal tagging approaches, and the specification of a broader implementation project. SC22 will also review proposed directions for future software development, including design requirements, analytical capabilities, and collaboration frameworks. Based on these discussions, SC22 will provide feedback and recommendations to guide the next phase of work. 

• Project 123 is a three-year scoping initiative to evaluate pathways for transitioning WCPFC tuna stock assessments from MULTIFAN-CL to next-generation software platforms, in response to evolving technical requirements and the anticipated limits of further MFCL development. The project examines the required features and capabilities for future assessments, evaluates existing and emerging software options, and advances collaborative development with partners such as IATTC and the Technical University of Denmark, including work on new model design concepts and external analyses of tagging data.

SC22 will review indicators for stocks without new stock assessments, to monitor recent changes in fisheries and to provide supporting context for ongoing conservation and management. The review will help identify emerging trends, highlight data gaps, and inform priorities for future research and assessment work. SC22 will also review the indicator analyses and provide comments and questions to guide further improvements.

• An indicator paper provides empirical information on recent fishery patterns for key target tuna species, skipjack, bigeye, yellowfin, and South Pacific albacore, in years when no stock assessment is conducted. It compiles indicators such as total catch by gear, nominal CPUE trends (noting the limitation of nominal CPUE for representing abundance trends), spatial distribution of catch and effort, and size composition to describe recent developments in the fisheries. It also includes short-term projections, which are considered the most informative component for near-term stock outlooks. These indicators track trends over time but do not estimate the most current stock status.

Pursuant to the MOU between WCPFC and ISC, the ISC Chair, or designated representative, will be invited to brief SC22 on ISC activities since SC21, including stock status and conservation information for stocks under ISC purview, as well as future research plans.

SC22 will discuss the Process for the Independent Review of Stock Assessmentsand consider improvements to the framework, including establishing a forward schedule, prioritization criteria, alignment with the assessment workplan, and clarification of scope and terms of reference, to ensure that independent peer review becomes a routine and effective component of WCPFC stock assessment practice.

• SC12 adopted a formal Process for the Independent Review of Stock Assessments, including recommending a multi-year review schedule, Commission approval, selection of a review panel, and panel’s review process. SC21 highlighted that this agreed process has not been systematically applied, and identified practical gaps such as limited review time, lack of a strategic and prioritized schedule, resource constraints, and differing views among CCMs on timing and necessity of reviews, despite broad recognition of the importance of periodic independent review for credibility, ongoing improvements, and quality assurance.
• ^ See Attachment K, SC12 Summary Report.

SC22 will review the progress of work under Project 100d, focusing on progress in large-scale sample collection and genotyping, feasibility of integrating Close-Kin-Mark-Recapture (CKMR) outputs into assessment models, and the strategic value of CKMR in reducing key uncertainties, alongside consideration of logistical requirements, timelines, and resource implications for scaling this method within the WCPFC scientific work programme. 

• The project extends earlier work by applying CKMR methods to South Pacific albacore (Project 100c) and seeks to deliver CKMR-based estimates of key demographic parameters such as absolute adult abundance, mortality, and connectivity, for incorporation into the 2027 stock assessment. The project will also evaluate the broader applicability of CKMR approaches across WCPFC-managed tuna, billfish, and shark stocks, and develop a cost-benefit and prioritisation framework to guide future investment in and application of CKMR methods across species. 

SC22 will review the final project report and consider for further activities, as necessary. 
See https://meetings.wcpfc.int/node/23099

• Estimating spawning potential remains a key challenge for WCPFC tropical tuna assessments due to the limited availability of biological data, especially for bigeye and skipjack tuna. SC19 supported an EU-funded study initially on yellowfin, later expanded to bigeye and skipjack tuna, with WCPFC20 approving USD 44,000 co-funding toward the EUR 200,000 project starting in January 2024 and concluding with a final report in August 2026. 

SC22 will consider updates to Project 122a, which supports a global Joint Tuna RFMO Longline CPUE Technical Workshop to be held from 12–16 October 2026 in Yokohama, Japan. The workshop will bring together analysts, data experts, and invited specialists from across the tuna RFMOs to review current longline CPUE standardisation approaches, emerging analytical methods, operational and fishery-specific factors affecting CPUE interpretation, and the use of CPUE indices in stock assessments and management strategy evaluation. 

• The workshop aims to undertake a comprehensive review of existing practices, identify technical challenges and data issues, develop practical technical guidelines and good-practice recommendations, and improve the consistency and robustness of longline abundance indices used in assessments of major tuna and tuna-like species. Expected outputs include a synthesis of current RFMO approaches, technical peer-reviewed papers addressing key methodological issues, recommendations for improving longline CPUE standardisation, and mechanisms for ongoing collaboration and knowledge sharing among RFMO scientists and CPUE analysts.

SC22 will review progress on Project 125, including developments in sampling design, coverage across species, sizes, sexes, and regions, and readiness for biological data collection and analysis, taking into account linkages with Project 118 and broader sampling plan development, with annual updates through 2027 and a final report expected in 2028.

• This four-year project (2025–2028) aims to improve biological information for striped marlin, blue marlin, black marlin, shortbill spearfish, and sailfish in the WCPO through the collection and analysis of biological samples from longline fisheries. Samples, including fin spines, otoliths, maturity data, and length measurements, will be used to estimate age, growth, maturity, and reproductive parameters, improve length-weight and length-length conversion factors, and support estimates of stock productivity and future stock assessments. Sampling is intended to be spatially and temporally stratified across the WCPO and representative of sex and size classes for each species. Activity since project formalisation in March 2025 has focused on preparatory work, including the development of training materials, pending guidance from Project 118. SC21 agreed that the development of structured biological sampling plans for billfish and sharks is important to improving stock assessments and scientific advice and supported further work on proportional sampling approaches to improve the representativeness of biological data collection. 

SC22 will review progress on Project 126 and consider the proposed sampling framework, including gap analysis results, design specifications, and implementation considerations, as well as how the sampling strategy can be applied through national and regional observer programs to support improved biological data collection and future shark stock assessments.

• Biological data are essential for both integrated and data-limited stock assessments, yet existing shark biological samples in the WCPO are limited and lack adequate spatial and temporal representation, which constrains their ability to reflect population structure. Project 126 aims to address these gaps by developing a statistically robust and spatially and temporally structured sampling strategy for shark species, building on approaches such as the ISC International Billfish Biological Sampling program to support the estimation of key biological parameters, including growth and maturity, and to better understand spatial variability. The project includes evaluation of existing samples in the SPC Tissue Bank, identification of sampling gaps across regions, time periods, size classes, and sexes, and testing of sampling design robustness under practical constraints using simulation frameworks. SC21 supported a no-cost extension of the project to allow further development of the sampling plan, informed by guidance from related sampling plan projects (Projects 117: WCPFC tuna biological sampling plan and Project 118: WCPFC billfish biological sampling), and noted that this work is necessary to improve the quality of stock assessments and scientific advice.

SC22 will review the outcomes of initial activities under Project 129, including progress on rapid ageing research and evaluation of sampling capacity and feasibility, and guide the next phase of the project, including the potential to scale up sampling efforts to support more robust and reliable stock assessments.

• The four-year Project 129, which commenced in 2026, aims to address a key limitation in tuna stock assessments by developing a sustained age-length data stream, given that current assessments rely heavily on size data and static growth assumptions due to limited historical otolith collections and the absence of systematic sampling, resulting in uncertainty and potential bias in estimating age structure and management quantities. The project seeks to increase the use of paired age-length data within assessment models to improve growth estimation and better capture spatial and temporal variability. In 2026, the project focuses on advancing rapid ageing methods using otolith morphometrics for yellowfin and bigeye tuna, and assessing the feasibility and requirements for implementing a structured age-length sampling program at a meaningful scale through engagement with CCMs, distant water fishing nations, and observer programs. These activities will inform whether sufficient support exists to progress to large-scale implementation.

SC22 will review the progress towards convening the workshop under Project 130, including its scope and proposed timing and location. It was not possible to convene the workshop prior to SC22.

• Project 130 responds to the need identified by the Billfish Research Plan and Shark Research Plan to improve and standardise stock assessment approaches for bycatch species, particularly billfish and sharks, where assessments are often constrained by limited data and inconsistent methodologies. The project includes the convening of a joint, pan-Pacific expert workshop, including participation from other organizations such as IATTC and ISC, to review existing assessment approaches across a range of data availability contexts, evaluate successful and unsuccessful applications, and consider alternative methods, including multi-model and Bayesian approaches, as well as tiered frameworks for low-information stocks and associated fishery characterisation. The workshop following SC22 will identify best practices, recommend appropriate assessment frameworks, and provide reference points, stock status reporting, and potential alignment of assessment schedules across regions.

SC22 will review the progress of various research plans and provide recommendations for any plan updates. 

SC22 will consider the scope and design of a mixed fishery monitoring framework, the adequacy of existing data systems to support cross-species evaluation, the identification of data gaps and capacity constraints.

• The mixed fishery monitoring strategy reflects the need to extend monitoring beyond single species approaches to support the broader harvest strategy framework in which multiple species are managed through interacting species-specific management procedures. It was highlighted that stock outcomes for species such as yellowfin and bigeye are influenced by the combined effects of different MPs, fisheries interactions, and activities outside direct management control, and therefore require coordinated monitoring across fleets, regions, and species. Key issues include tracking catch and effort across all relevant fisheries, including those outside MP control, improving data consistency and comparability, monitoring effort redistribution and behavioural changes, and ensuring that assumptions used in MSE remain valid under real-world conditions.

SC22 will review the progress of developing the harvest strategy framework along with the Indicative Work Plan for the Adoption of Harvest Strategy Under CMM 2022-03 and provide advice to the Commission of further updates to the work plan as needed.

SC22 will review ISC presentations on progress in developing the long-term harvest strategy, assess the scientific basis including MSE outcomes and proposed elements, and provide comments and advice to the Commission to support consideration and adoption of the harvest strategy.

• The development of a long-term harvest strategy for Pacific bluefin tuna builds on progress made through the Joint IATTC–WCPFC NC Working Group (JWG), including JWG10 in 2025 and the intersessional JWGI03 meeting in March 2026, following completion of the Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) and the stock’s recovery to the second rebuilding target of 20% of unfished spawning biomass in 2021. While JWG10 reviewed MSE results and outlined key elements of a comprehensive harvest strategy, it did not reach consensus on harvest control rules and therefore initiated further intersessional work to refine options and advance agreement toward adoption. JWGI03 continued this process by narrowing candidate harvest control rules, discussing reference points and control rules, and developing a draft “Newport Beach Management Procedure,” with the expectation that a fully specified long-term harvest strategy will be finalized in 2026 and implemented in 2027, replacing the current interim harvest strategy framework. 

SC22 will review progress in implementing the workplan and provide advice to the Commission to support the continued development and eventual adoption of a harvest strategy for Southwest Pacific swordfish.

• The development of a Southwest Pacific swordfish harvest strategy follows the Commission’s request to establish a structured management strategy evaluation framework and a long-term management procedure, with SC21 endorsing a project scope and workplan led by Australia and the EU to guide this process. At WCPFC22, the Commission adopted an indicative multi-year workplan covering 2026 to 2030, which sets out a stepwise process to define objectives, reference points, and candidate management procedures, and to test these through MSE, with regular scientific input and decision points at both SC and Commission levels.

SC22 will review progress under Project 121 toward refinement, testing, and potential adoption of candidate indicators, including responses to SC21 and Commission requests, updates to the Report Card, and any new or revised indicators and methodological developments. This will include consideration of SC21’s recommendation that the SSP investigate inclusion of estimated median phytoplankton size derived from satellite SST and chlorophyll-a data. SC22 will also review outcomes from the March 2026 workshops on ecosystem and climate indicators, which are intended to advance indicator development, testing, and application, and consider their implications for future indicator development and integration into WCPFC processes.

• Project 121 is a five-year project, scheduled to conclude in 2027, to establish a structured framework grouping indicators into climatological, oceanographic, and fishery-related categories, with several indicators already tested against agreed selection criteria. The Commission agreed to continue integrating climate considerations into scientific and management work through a pragmatic and phased approach consistent with current data and resource constraints.

SC22 will review progress on the development of early warning tools to anticipate climate-driven changes, including data inputs, methodological approaches, and resource requirements, requested by the Commission at WCPFC22. The Commission also requested that future assessments of climate impacts on tuna resources explicitly include the geographic regions of Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. SC22 will consider how these regions are incorporated into ongoing and planned analyses, and how this work supports the broader phased approach to integrating climate risks into WCPFC scientific and management processes.

SC22 will review the general progress of tasks assigned to the Scientific Committee in the Climate Change Workplan and provide advice or recommendations to the Commission, as needed. 

• WCPFC21 adopted the WCPFC Climate Change Workplan for 2024 – 2027 (Attachment 13, WCPFC21 Summary Report). WCPFC22 noted that the CCVA consultancy had met its terms of reference and provided a sound conceptual framework, while recognising that full implementation would require substantial additional data and resources. The Commission further agreed that climate considerations should be progressively integrated into existing SC, TCC, and Secretariat processes, using both quantitative and qualitative methods (para. 352, WCPFC22 Summary Report). 

SC22 will review progress on Projects 110 and 110a, focused on non-entangling and biodegradable Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) in the WCPO (EU-, US-, and ISSF-funded, with Project 110 completed in December 2025). SC22 is invited to consider SC21 recommendations for additional work on defining biodegradable materials and establishing standards for the marine environment. The SSP will prepare terms of reference (TORs) for projects addressing biodegradable materials for both drifting and anchored FADs, and SC22 will provide guidance to support further work in line with these TORs (para. 686 – 687, SC21 Summary Report).

SC22 will review progress on understanding and mitigating drifting FAD (dFAD) loss and abandonment, noting SC21 concerns about high stranding events in PICT waters, including FADs deployed in the EPO. SC22 will consider SSP monitoring and pilot retrieval projects and discuss ways to track FADs that are no longer actively monitored by owners. SC22 is invited to note SC21 encouragement for CCMs and stakeholders to increase data collection on stranded FADs, improve identification rates, assess environmental impacts, continue economic and feasibility studies, and support development of recovery programs.

SC22 will also review ongoing stakeholder surveys, participation in the February 2026 international workshop in French Polynesia, and collection of in-situ stranded FAD data. SC22 is invited to guide further work to assess impacts on different habitats using tracking and historical data, and to note SC21's recognition of the need for continued SSP-led funding, work planning, and scientific support for the FADMO IWG (paras. 696 – 702, SC21 Summary Report).

SC22 will review the intersessional activities and progress of the FADMO-IWG work and provide feedback to facilitate the IWG's progress.

• The Commission tasked the FADMO-IWG to continue work in 2026 on streamlining reporting arrangements and reducing duplication—including exploring options for direct transmission of satellite buoy data from the PNA to the Secretariat and/or the SSP—and to continue discussions on appropriate timeframes for event-based reporting, with clear options and recommendations to be provided to the Commission in 2026 (para. 281, WCPFC22 Summary Report).

SC22 will review any updates related to bycatch management, including the Bycatch Management Information System (BMIS), any feedback on the bycatch management site at http://www.wcpfc.int/bycatch-management or http://www.bmis-bycatch.org/, and the Bycatch Data Exchange Protocol (BDEP) within the BMIS. 

SC22 will review updated information relevant to CMM 2025-05 and provide advice on whether adjustments or additional measures are needed to improve effectiveness and ensure consistent application across the Convention Area.

• Review of the seabird CMM reflects continued concern regarding seabird bycatch risks and the effectiveness of mitigation measures across different regions and fisheries. The newly adopted CMM 2025-05 strengthens requirements by mandating combinations of mitigation measures tailored to area-specific risk profiles and vessel characteristics, while also introducing annual reviews and a formal review within three years to assess effectiveness and remaining risks. 

SC22 will receive an update on the informal intersessional review of CMM 2018-04, including a draft revised CMM, and provide feedback for the Commission’s consideration and possible adoption at WCPFC23.

• WCPFC22 endorsed the establishment of an informal intersessional working group (led by the USA) to review CMM 2018-04 in 2026 and report to SC22, TCC22, and WCPFC23. The First Sea Turtle Informal Intersessional Working Group Meeting (STIIWG01) was convened virtually on 8 and 10 April 2026 to consider recent scientific information and potential options to improve the current CMM on sea turtles.

This agenda item marks the first formal introduction of pollutant-related research within the Scientific Committee, positioned under the Pacific Marine Specimen Bank (PMSB) framework. It reflects the growing use of PMSB samples for food safety and ecosystem-related analyses, including studies on mercury, persistent organic pollutants, plastics, and stable isotopes, which are already emerging within ongoing and completed research projects linked to the PMSB. The inclusion of this item at SC22 follows SC21 endorsement to advance a dedicated Working Paper on isotope, mercury, and other pollutant studies, signaling a shift toward integrating contaminant monitoring into tuna research while remaining grounded in existing biological sampling infrastructure. This development expands the scientific scope of PMSB beyond traditional stock assessment inputs toward broader ecosystem and human health considerations, without yet being framed as a core Ecosystem and Bycatch (EB) theme activity. SC22 will provide comments and recommendations on the future placement and treatment of this agenda item.