Queen conch catch data Queen conch catch data in the FAO database and in the FAO database and

a study on conversion factorsa study on conversion factors

Luca Garibaldi

Fisheries and Aquaculture Statistics and Information Service (FIPS)Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

CFMC/OSPESCA/WECAFC/CRFM WORKING GROUP ON QUEEN CONCH CFMC/OSPESCA/WECAFC/CRFM WORKING GROUP ON QUEEN CONCH Panama City, Panama, 23-25 October 2012Panama City, Panama, 23-25 October 2012

FAO, statistics and member nationsFAO, statistics and member nations The statistics have a main role between the The statistics have a main role between the

information that FAO compiles and disseminatesinformation that FAO compiles and disseminates

““...all Member Nations and Associate Members ...all Member Nations and Associate Members shall also communicate regularly to the Director-shall also communicate regularly to the Director-General statistical, technical and other General statistical, technical and other information published or otherwise issued by, or information published or otherwise issued by, or readily available to, the government.” readily available to, the government.” ((Article XI of the FAO ConstitutionArticle XI of the FAO Constitution))

However, the main reason for which countries However, the main reason for which countries have to collect statistics is that without reliable have to collect statistics is that without reliable data series effective management and policy-data series effective management and policy-making are impossiblemaking are impossible

Fishery statisticsFishery statistics

FAO is the only source of comprehensive FAO is the only source of comprehensive global fishery statistics and most reviews of global fishery statistics and most reviews of the state of world fisheries, past trends and the state of world fisheries, past trends and future prospects rely on FAO statisticsfuture prospects rely on FAO statistics

Fishery statistics are generally submitted by Fishery statistics are generally submitted by national correspondents in the appropriate national correspondents in the appropriate Ministry or Department of Fisheries Ministry or Department of Fisheries

Official data can sometimes be complemented Official data can sometimes be complemented or replaced if better data of other origins are or replaced if better data of other origins are available (e.g. those compiled by the regional available (e.g. those compiled by the regional fishery bodies managing tuna resources) fishery bodies managing tuna resources)

Data reported by countries are carefully checked Data reported by countries are carefully checked and, when data are questionable, the national and, when data are questionable, the national correspondent is consulted for clarifications. correspondent is consulted for clarifications. This This WP provides an opportunity to verify and revise WP provides an opportunity to verify and revise Queen conch catch data included in the FAO global Queen conch catch data included in the FAO global capture databasecapture database

If a country does not report its catches or those If a country does not report its catches or those provided are considered as not reliable, FAO provided are considered as not reliable, FAO estimates the missing data and marks them in the estimates the missing data and marks them in the database with an ‘F’database with an ‘F’

Ultimately, the quality of the FAO statistics is Ultimately, the quality of the FAO statistics is dependent upon the accuracy and reliability of the dependent upon the accuracy and reliability of the data collected nationally and provided to FAOdata collected nationally and provided to FAO

……fishery statistics - 2fishery statistics - 2

FAO global capture production databaseFAO global capture production database

Two fundamental conceptsTwo fundamental concepts

The flag of the vessel performing the essential The flag of the vessel performing the essential part of the fishing operation should be considered part of the fishing operation should be considered the paramount indication of the nationality the paramount indication of the nationality assigned to the catches. The flag State is assigned to the catches. The flag State is responsible for the provision of the relevant dataresponsible for the provision of the relevant data

Data are in Data are in live weightlive weight ((conversion factor to be conversion factor to be applied when data refer to catches that have been applied when data refer to catches that have been gutted, eviscerated, filleted, salted, dried, etc.gutted, eviscerated, filleted, salted, dried, etc.))

Plan and deadlines of the FAO yearly Plan and deadlines of the FAO yearly inquiry on global fishery statisticsinquiry on global fishery statistics

June 2012: dispatch of electronic questionnaires for June 2012: dispatch of electronic questionnaires for the 2011 inquiry (since this year paper the 2011 inquiry (since this year paper questionnaires are no longer dispatched unless questionnaires are no longer dispatched unless specifically requested) specifically requested)

31st August 2012: deadline to return data to FAO31st August 2012: deadline to return data to FAO

Since September 2012: reminders and contacts with Since September 2012: reminders and contacts with countries which have not returned data (in countries which have not returned data (in collaboration with FAO Reps and Regional Offices)collaboration with FAO Reps and Regional Offices)

Beginning of March: updated global capture and Beginning of March: updated global capture and aquaculture databases are made available on the aquaculture databases are made available on the webweb

Dissemination of the FAO fishery statisticsDissemination of the FAO fishery statistics

The data compiled are stored in datasets and The data compiled are stored in datasets and disseminated through electronic meansdisseminated through electronic means

FISHSTAT+FISHSTAT+ http://www.fao.org/fishery/statistics/software/fishstat/en

FISHSTATJFISHSTATJ http://www.fao.org/fishery/statistics/software/fishstatj/en

Online query panelOnline query panel http://www.fao.org/fishery/topic/16140/en

FISHSTATJFISHSTATJ

The new generation of the FishStat+ software, The new generation of the FishStat+ software, widely used to consult and extract data from the widely used to consult and extract data from the

FAO fishery statistics databasesFAO fishery statistics databases

A Java-based application, supports multiple platforms A Java-based application, supports multiple platforms and operative systems (e.g. Windows, Linux and MAC)and operative systems (e.g. Windows, Linux and MAC)

...FISHSTATJ -2...FISHSTATJ -2

It is organized in the following workspaces:It is organized in the following workspaces:

Global datasets Global datasets (included in the FishStatJ download)(included in the FishStatJ download)

•Total fishery production Total fishery production •Capture production Capture production •Aquaculture productionAquaculture production•Fisheries commodities production and trade Fisheries commodities production and trade

Regional datasets Regional datasets (available for download as a separate workspace)(available for download as a separate workspace)

•CECAF (Eastern Central Atlantic) capture productionCECAF (Eastern Central Atlantic) capture production•GFCM (Mediterranean and Black Sea) capture production GFCM (Mediterranean and Black Sea) capture production •RECOFI capture productionRECOFI capture production•Southeast Atlantic capture productionSoutheast Atlantic capture production

Current situation of Queen conch catch data Current situation of Queen conch catch data available in the FAO capture databaseavailable in the FAO capture database

Queen conch catch data for 25 countries and Queen conch catch data for 25 countries and territories are currently available in the FAO territories are currently available in the FAO capture databasecapture database

Two other countries (i.e. Costa Two other countries (i.e. Costa Rica and Rica and Panama) have reported Panama) have reported StrombusStrombus spp catch spp catch data only for the Pacific side but it could be that data only for the Pacific side but it could be that they were misreportedthey were misreported

There are no data for three countries/There are no data for three countries/territories territories (i.e. (i.e. Barbados, Dominica and Martinique)Barbados, Dominica and Martinique)

Queen conch catch trend as extracted from Queen conch catch trend as extracted from the FAO capture databasethe FAO capture database

...Queen conch catch trend - 2...Queen conch catch trend - 2

Conversion factors for Queen conchConversion factors for Queen conch

Why do we need conversion factors for Queen conch? Why do we need conversion factors for Queen conch? In order to be comparable among countries and allow In order to be comparable among countries and allow consistent studies on regional trend, all Queen conch consistent studies on regional trend, all Queen conch catch data have to be in live weight (with shell)catch data have to be in live weight (with shell)

Current situation:Current situation: the standard conversion factor ‘7.5’ the standard conversion factor ‘7.5’ is applied for generic conversion from “meat weight” is applied for generic conversion from “meat weight” to “live weight” as most countries do not specify to to “live weight” as most countries do not specify to what processing grade their data refer what processing grade their data refer

• The standard conversion factor ‘7.5’ has been applied to data The standard conversion factor ‘7.5’ has been applied to data reported in “meat weight” by the following countries/territories: reported in “meat weight” by the following countries/territories: Anguilla, Antigua, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Anguilla, Antigua, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Vincent, Turks & Caicos, US Virgin Is.Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Vincent, Turks & Caicos, US Virgin Is.

• Conversion factor ‘8.47’ has been applied to data by Conversion factor ‘8.47’ has been applied to data by Nicaragua

...conversion factors for Queen conch - 2...conversion factors for Queen conch - 2

In February 2007, FAO and OSPESCA organized in In February 2007, FAO and OSPESCA organized in Panama City a workshop on the “Improvement of Panama City a workshop on the “Improvement of information on Queen conch capture fishery in the information on Queen conch capture fishery in the Central American and Caribbean region”Central American and Caribbean region”

The need for conversion factors enabling The need for conversion factors enabling conversion of weights of processed products to conversion of weights of processed products to live weight was identified as a prioritylive weight was identified as a priority

Participants from the Participants from the Dominican Republic,Dominican Republic, HondurasHonduras and and NicaraguaNicaragua volunteered to carry out volunteered to carry out a field survey to determine the conversion factors a field survey to determine the conversion factors for the main processing gradesfor the main processing grades

...conversion factors for Queen conch - 3...conversion factors for Queen conch - 3

Description of main processing grades Description of main processing grades considered in the surveysconsidered in the surveys

Source: FAO Fisheries Circular no. 1042Source: FAO Fisheries Circular no. 1042

...conversion factors for Queen conch - 4...conversion factors for Queen conch - 4

Main processing grades: Main processing grades:

how they look like how they look like

It is very important to have a standardized terminology It is very important to have a standardized terminology for processing grades at the regional levelfor processing grades at the regional level

...conversion factors for Queen conch - 5...conversion factors for Queen conch - 5

Results of surveys in the three countries and Results of surveys in the three countries and proposed conversion factorsproposed conversion factors

Source: FAO Fisheries Circular no. 1042Source: FAO Fisheries Circular no. 1042

Suggested next stepsSuggested next steps

Participants who have not yet verified the Queen Participants who have not yet verified the Queen conch catch data for their country in the FAO database conch catch data for their country in the FAO database are kindly requested to do so, also specifying the are kindly requested to do so, also specifying the processing grade and any conversion factor appliedprocessing grade and any conversion factor applied

Processing grades should be standardized at the Processing grades should be standardized at the regional level and possibly simplified (reduced to 3?) regional level and possibly simplified (reduced to 3?)

Conversion factors proposed in the FAO Fish. Circ. Conversion factors proposed in the FAO Fish. Circ. 1042 should be complemented with those already 1042 should be complemented with those already available from other countries or additional available from other countries or additional ad hoc ad hoc surveys carried outsurveys carried out

A consolidated proposal for “Regional conversion A consolidated proposal for “Regional conversion factors” should be prepared and discussed by the factors” should be prepared and discussed by the Queen Conch Working GroupQueen Conch Working Group

Many thanks for your attentionMany thanks for your attention

Muchas gracias por vuestra atenciMuchas gracias por vuestra atencióónn

Merci beaucoup pour votre attentionMerci beaucoup pour votre attention