SIOFA-2020-2022 Support to SIOFA Scientific Work on key stocks, ecosystems, and data

The SIOFA relies on a strong scientific basis for decision-making, and therefore the grant requested focuses on 5 General Objectives of scientific basis:

General Objective 1 (GO1): Support the assessment of the key target stocks (alfonsino, toothfish and orange roughy);

• Specific Objective 1: Working towards improving the stock assessment of alfonsino. According to the SIOFA Scientific Committee (SC) future stock assessments for alfonsino should consider: potentially using tow-by-tow data, developing data catalogues to understand variables for effective standardisation work, improving future abundance estimation by applying acoustic data, conducting research towards better estimating M, clarifying time-area coverage, the complex behaviour of alfonsino, etc. A feasibility study of the cost-benefit of collecting acoustic data could be conducted. Data Poor Stock management approaches should be also explored.
• Specific Objective 2: Supporting toothfish related research.

• Specific Objective 3: Addressing the main tasks related to orange roughy in the work plan concerning the stock structure, age frequency, target strength and data collection protocol.

• Specific Objective 4: Saya de Malha bank fisheries.

General Objective 2 (GO2): Management of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs);

• Specific Objective 5: the definition and implementation of robust methodologies for the mapping and protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems, and
• Specific Objective 6: the mitigation of possible impacts on associated and dependent species.
• Specific Objective 7: Investigate possible habitat suitability modelling.

General Objective 3 (GO3): Management of others ecosystem components.

• Specific Objective 8: Defining interactions with seabirds, mammals, bycatch species, etc.

General Objective 4 (GO4): Reinforcing the data collection, SIOFA data/base systems, and coding and data processes.

General Objective 5 (GO5): Making operational the Scientific Working Groups and Scientific Committee (SC) supporting and facilitating the external expertise needed for advancing on the SC multiannual WorkPlan.