This paper provides a preliminary analysis on the potential use of cannery receipt data for estimating species composition in the USA western Pacific purse seine fishery. Total tuna catches recorded on logsheets by year were very close (0.5% more in 2014 and 2.8% more in 2015) to those shown by cannery receipts indicating that vessel operators accurately record total catches on daily logsheets. Species composition differed with cannery receipts having a lower percentage of skipjack and higher percentages of both yellowfin and bigeye tuna than reported on logsheets. Cannery data provide catch by species and size categories, and annual trends are illustrated for 2014 and 2015 for size categories of

"Striped marlin in the North Pacific are primarily harvested in longline fisheries targeting species such as tunas (Thunnus spp.) and swordfish (Xiphias gladius). Annual catches have declcined from ~17,000 mt in the early 1960s to ~3,000 mt in 2006 (Figure 1). Striped marlin are primarily harvested by longline fisheries from Japan in the northwest Pacific and the USA in the central Pacific with smaller catches from Korea and Chinese-Taipei longline fleets and are also targeted in coastal fisheries off Japan and ChineseTaipei and support valuable recreational fisheries off Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and the United States...Given the high estimated fishing mortality, the objectives of this study were to conduct analyses of potential longline catch reductions of N. Pacific striped marlin while maintaining target bigeye tuna catches. Longline mitigation was based on modification of longline gear and spatially closed areas. The analysis was conducted on the Hawaii-based longline fishery which comprises ~10% of the total N. Pacific catch of striped marlin since 2000 and is well suited to analyses of longline mitigation because detailed operational and catch data have been gathered by the Pacific Islands Regional Observer Program (PIROP) since 1994. The Hawaii-based pelagic longline fishery is composed of two sectors which target bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) with deep gear and swordfish (Xiphius gladius) with shallow gear. The median depth of the deepest hook on 266 deep sets was 248 m, whereas that on 333 shallow sets was 60 m (Bigelow et al. 2006). The study considered the deep set fishery due to larger striped marlin catches and potentially greater mitigation options as deep gear fishes at a greater range of depth and habitat than

"Seabird interactions have occurred in both the shallow (swordfish targeting) and deep-set (tuna targeting) U.S longline fisheries that are based in Hawaii. Incidental seabird interactions are documented by fishery observers from the Pacific Islands Regional Observer Program...Annual fleet-wide estimates are reported in Part 1 of the U.S. Annual Report of the WCPFC (2010) by raising the number of observed interactions by a factor determined according to the design of the observer sampling program. The Pacific Islands Regional Office (PIRO) of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) provides additional seabird information as an annual report on Seabird Interactions and Mitigation Efforts in the Hawaii Longline Fisheries. The most recent summary (NMFS 2010) describes observed and estimated total numbers of interactions with Laysan (Phoebastria immutabilis) and blackfooted (P. nigripes) albatrosses and other seabird species, notes the levels of observer coverage on Hawaii-based longline vessels, describes sightings of short-tailed albatrosses and any interaction, i.e., hooking or entanglement in fishing gear, within the Hawaiibased pelagic longline fisheries"--Page 1.

"This report provides observed seabird interactions and interaction rates in the Hawaii-based longline fisheries from 2004 to 2013 summarized by calendar year of operation (longline haulback). Seabird regulations initially went into effect in June 2001. Year 2004 was chosen as a start of the analysis as the shallow-set fishery re-opened. Statistics are disaggregated by longline fishery (shallow and deep-set), vessel size (24 m and =24 m) and latitude (23°N and =23°N). The analysis addresses the SC9 recommendation (para 81(a)), requesting for a comparison of large- and small-vessel interaction rates in order to address the current lack of mitigation by small vessels. The analysis is beneficial in describing interaction rates by fishery, latitude and vessel size"--Page 3.

This paper presents corrected catch histories, standardized catch rates, and evaluations of the accuracy of federally mandated commercial logbooks for billfishes (Istiophoridae: blue marlin, Makaira nigricans; striped marlin, Tetrapturus audax; shortbill spearfish, T. angustirostris; black marlin, M. indica; and sailfish, Istiophorus platypterus) taken as incidental catch by the Hawaii-based longline fishery. The study (March 1994-February 2004) was conducted because billfish misidentifications in logbooks caused by similarities in body size, shape, and coloration have long represented a major challenge in monitoring this fishery. The objective was to improve understanding of the composition and magnitude of incidental billfish catches.

"The purpose of this study is to collect cost-earnings information for the longline fishing fleet based in American Samoa. The objectives of the analysis are to examine the economic health of the fleet and assess vessel operations and activities relevant to economic returns to individual vessels and the fleet as a whole. This information is required by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to allow fisheries managers to consider potential economic impacts of future regulations. In 2001, O'Malley and Pooley (2002) conducted a similar cost/earnings study of the American Samoa-based longline fishery. Their study found that the majority of vessels were profitable, generating revenues sufficient to meet expenses. This current study serves to update the assessment of the overall fleet's economic performance and to assess how the economic performance of the fleet has changed. This analysis uses both primary and secondary sources of data on fleet operations in 2009 to provide the baseline information needed to support the fishery management. Cost data were collected through in-person interviews during the summer of 2010 (the survey form is presented in the Appendix), while other data were provided by the Western Pacific Fisheries Information Network (WPacFIN), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC). In 2009, 26 boats were active in the American Samoa longline fleet: 1 was Class A (≤ 40 ft), 5 were Class C (50--70 ft), and 20 were Class D (≥ 70 ft). Class A vessels are outboard-enginepowered catamarans, called alias. These boats are generally less than 30 ft in overall length, take 1--3 day trips, have no or limited modern technology, and generally fish less than 350 hooks per set. Fishing by these boats is significantly different from that of the larger vessels"--Introduction. doi:10.7289/V5/AR-PIFSC-H-17-01 (https://doi.org/10.7289/V5/AR-PIFSC-H-17-01)]

Port sampling data were used to estimate effort, catch, CPUE, standardized CPUE, and species composition from the purse seine fishery operating in the southern Philippines (Region 12, SOCCSKSARGEN) and High Seas Pocket #1 and the handline fishery operating in Region 12. A quarterly standardized CPUE index was produced for the purse seine (2005 to 2016) and handline (2004 to 2016) fishery for use in the 2017 WCPFC yellowfin tuna assessment. Standardized CPUE was estimated using Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) and removing effects due to vessel and area (fishing ground). The index for the 2014 assessment used a GLM that predicted monthly CPUE with year, month, and vessel effects. The current index predicted quarterly CPUE with a YR:QTR, Area (fishing ground) and Vessel effects. A combined YR:QTR effect was estimated to be consistent with other fishery CPUE standardization methods used in the assessment. There were 12 Area designations in the database; however, Area was relatively non-informative in the model as fishing trips were dominated by a few areas. [doi:10.7289/V5/WP-PIFSC-17-003 (http://doi.org/10.7289/V5/WP-PIFSC-17-003)]