22nd Regular Session of the Scientific Committee

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).