20th Regular Session of the Scientific Committee

The ISC conducts three billfish stock assessments, including North Pacific swordfish, Pacific blue marlin, and Western and Central North Pacific striped marlin. Of these, North Pacific Swordfish and Pacific blue marlin are in healthy condition. However, WCNP striped marlin are overfished and experiencing overfishing. The Commission provided the following recommendations on this stock:

• WCPFC16, paragraph 452. The Commission adopted the Interim Rebuilding Plan for North Pacific Striped Marlin (Attachment L). 

• WCPFC18, paragraph 236. The Commission noted that the ISC would undertake a stock assessment of North Pacific striped marlin in 2022 and that the proposed revised workplan would permit updating of the rebuilding plan using the latest data from the stock assessment. 

• WCPFC19, paragraph 267. WCPFC19 noted that a proposed CMM on North Pacific striped marlin was deferred until 2023 and expressed concern regarding the continued delay in the rebuilding plans for the stock. 

• WCPFC20, paragraph 694.   The Commission noted the less than healthy state of North Pacific Striped Marlin, SC19s management advice and the precautionary approach, and the planned independent peer review of the North Pacific Striped Marlin stock assessment in 2024 and agreed to await the outcome of the peer review with a view to considering potential revisions to CMM 2010-01 at WCPFC21.