Scoping Study of Socio-Economic Data and Indicators of IOTC Fisheries

- Project Dates:
September 2018 - June 2019

Description of Project:
The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) is an intergovernmental organisation responsible for the management of tuna and tuna-like species in the Indian Ocean. At its 22nd session, the Commission adopted Resolution 18/09 which detailed the requirements for a scoping study on socio-economic data and indicators of IOTC fisheries. This Resolution was adopted, considering the responsibility of the IOTC to keep under review the economic and social aspects of the fisheries based on the stocks covered by the Agreement bearing in mind, in particular, the interest of developing coastal states. Poseidon completed the study to:

1. To describe the economic and social aspects of the fisheries, bearing in mind, in particular, the interests of developing coastal States, and identify the availability of data and socio-economic indicators that would describe the respective CPCs economic and social aspects of fisheries, including but not limited to: socio-economic contribution to the fisheries, economic dependence on fishery resources; income from exports; employment conditions and interactions between fleet segments; impact of fishery resource rents, including fisheries agreements with third parties to the local economies in terms of income, investments and jobs;

2. To evaluate and document what socio-economic data have been, and are currently collected by CPCs or other organisations that are in the public domain, on IOTC fisheries;

3. To evaluate and document what socio-economic data have been, and are currently collected by CPCs or other organisations but are not in the public domain on IOTC fisheries, where feasible under domestic law;

4. To evaluate if a) the data can be feasibly and uniformly collected, and b) would be adequate to calculate the indicators proposed. This should include, where feasible, a discussion on the data themselves, data quality, time periods and coverage rates;

5. To make recommendations on indicators taking into consideration the available data. To make recommendations on data requirements and harmonisation; and

6. To make recommendations on data management, reporting and associated costs to IOTC.