Collection methodology for producing fishery statistics

Generating Sample-Based Fishery Statistics

José Augusto Aragão, IBAMA

Fishery data collection and processing methodologies in a certain area have the purpose of characterizing the fishing activity and quantifying fishing landings and effort. Usually sampling procedures are adopted, mostly based on the manuals of fishery statistics published by FAO, which can be applied both to continental and marine fisheries, in large- and small-scale fisheries. The starting point of the work consists of the conduction of a “structural fishery census”, collecting basic information on the structure of the fishing activity in the area or state where the work will be carried out. Based on this type of information, a “continuous program of data collection“ is designed encompassing landing and effort data as well as other information, in order to update a number of basic data on fishing activity in the area. Data from the structural census and from the continuous program are processed by computer programs specially developed for this purpose.

 

Developing an Integrated System of Fishery Administrative Records – SIRAP

Aristides Lima-Green, IBGE

In most countries that provide information to the UN Statistics Division, fishing statistics come from systems of administrative records fed by producers themselves, i.e., fishermen. It does not involve landing surveys, but reports stated by producers. It is what happens in Chile, which received a technical visit in 2013, during the International Marine Fisheries Monitoring Congress. On that occasion, the following bodies were visited: Subsecretariat of Fishery and Aquiculture of the country; IFOMP, a scientific institute of fishery and SERNAPESCA, which is the national fishery service, responsible for the acquisition of administrative records all over Chile. These bodies, together with the Navy of Chile, are in charge of every system of administrative records based on which are the national fishery statistics. SIRAP is a proposal of integrated system of fishery information to be developed and maintained by the Brazilian public administration. The system implies that it is up to the producer to inform public bodies of their fishing trips, results obtained during the trips and data on the fishing effort used.

 

Applying census-based method to the data record of marine and estuarine fishery in the State of São Paulo

Antonio Olinto A. Da Silva, Ipesca-SP

The Fishery Institute, under the Secretariat of Agriculture and Supply of the State of São Paulo, carries out as one of its basic activities the monitoring of marine and estuarine fishing (PMAP). Such monitoring aims at promoting fishing activities, supporting the producing sector and subsidizing the development and evaluation of public policies to the sustainable development of fishing activities at municipal, sate and federal levels. The monitoring program also gives support to academic projects, non-governmental actions and studies on the environmental and social-economic impact. Currently, the monitoring is carried out in approximately 220 discharge points in the coast of São Paulo and encompasses several modalities of industrial and artisanal fishing. Fishery data are obtained mainly by the census-based method through voluntary interviews with vessel masters and fishermen. At each interview data, such as the trip period, equipment used, areas, efforts made and results, are obtained. In the last five years, information on around 82 thousand fishing trips by year have been obtained on average. All goals proposed have been accomplished. One of the highlight products, the Production Report, is a direct channel with fishermen. Made on demand, these reports have helped fishermen and shipowners in loan facilities, indemnity benefits and fishing permits. PMAP follows a data policy based on the ethical commitment with the fishery sector and with those who voluntarily collaborate with the program.