Fishery data collected through a variety of sources (e.g. by vessels, observers, port samplers, agents) are essential to the work of the SPC/OFP in assessing the status of the tuna stocks in the western and central Pacific Ocean, with the output scientific advice used by the WCPFC, other regional or sub-regional organisations (e.g., FFA, PNA) and individual SPC members to manage the fishery.

Fishery data are collected and provided in hard-copy form but there is no widespread nor sustainable Electronic Reporting (“E-Reporting) occurring in the WCPFC tropical tuna fisheries at this stage, despite the clear advantages evident with the establishment of this type of data collection in other fisheries.

E-Reporting in the context of WCPFC Tuna Fisheries is the electronic recording of data “in the field” by vessel captains/officers/crew and fisheries department field staff (e.g. observers, port samplers) according to pre-determined data collection protocols and forms.

The main area where E-reporting has been identified as providing significant efficiency gains is with OBSERVER and LOGSHEET DATA.

The SPC/OFP has been requested by several of their member countries to investigate the potential of E-Reporting in collaboration with the FFA, WCPFC and the PNAO. To date, SPC has developed two main products which are currently undergoing trials in SPC member countries: 

• eTUBS: On-board observer data entry 
• eTUNALOG: Smart data entry form management system

SPC/OFP is also collaborating with the WCPFC to look at the broader requirements of E-Reporting in the region.