According to the information the workshop was intended to reflect on the current practices, identify ways to improve collection and management of tuna data and to make sure the country meets its data obligations to the WCPFC. It is fact that the tuna is the biggest export earner in the Solomon Islands and so data of tuna catch and other fishing related activities within Solomon Islands EEZ must be recorded and managed in proper systems and procedures to inform the Government to make decisions that ensure the long term sustainability of the tuna industry.
Report says that Solomon Islands has been implementing certain management tools to ensure they obtain the required tuna data from the tuna industry. Under the PNA arrangements, Solomon Islands started to implement a 100 percent coverage on all purse seine fishing vessels with fisheries observers which send data to officers at the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) for analysis.
At the workshop nearly 28 data officers, from the MFMR, FFA, and the Maritime Unit discussed and learnt more about the different elements of their tuna data system, (such as the collection of required tuna data from industry, international data obligations and provisions, managing the database systems (e.g. TUFMAN Database) legislation, role of staff, data forms and databases, reporting, procedures manuals, data security and auditing) in the 2-week workshop.
Japan Trust Fund has funded the workshop with the UNDP-GEF funded Oceanic Fisheries Management Project funding the participation of trainer Deirdre Brogan from the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC). The National Tuna Data Coordinator, Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Edward Honiwala told that the aim of the workshop is to assist data officers to learn and know proper data collections and management systems.
