First International Workshop on Catch Monitoring in Total Allowable Catch Managed Fisheries in China

2017-06-21

One of the largest obstacles facing China's establishment of the Total Allowable Catch (TAC), a key policy for China's sustainable fishery reform, is the lack of a reliable and efficient catch monitoring scheme. On June 19-21, NRDC co-organized the first international workshop on catch monitoring in TAC-managed fisheries with Zhejiang Province Marine Fisheries Research Institute and Zhejiang Fisheries Society. Experts from the US, Canada, and Austria presented relevant case studies and international principles on monitoring design and introduced advanced electronic monitoring technology. Chinese researchers introduced the status of marine fishery resources survey and catch monitoring practices in China. The workshop also reviewed the current monitoring plan of China's first TAC pilot with gazami crab, which will be put into practice when pilot vessels assume fishing as the summer fishing moratorium ends, and experts provided timely and valuable recommendations to improve the plan to the gazami pilot committee. The workshop also provided a platform for exchange among Shandong, Fujian and Zhejiang TAC committee and engaged all stakeholders including industry sector and domestic NGO. We will continue to collaborate with partners to strengthen the technical and institutional capacity of China in its transition to sustainable fisheries. 

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