A review of the scope and feasibility of an assessment of CMM susceptibility to climate change impacts

This paper was presented at NC20 (NC20-WP-05), together with the Commission’s Climate Change Work Plan and TOR for the Assessment of CMMs Susceptible to Climate Change (NC20-WP-04). The NC20 supported the proposed task in the Work Plan of coordinating with the ISC as it considers how to incorporate climate change advice into management recommendations to NC. The NC20 also noted the importance of cooperation with other organizations, including the ISC and tuna RFMOs and RFMOs that manage species such as sardine and mackerel in the NPO, which are an important part of the ecosystem of northern stocks. The NC20, therefore, agreed to request the Chair to contact the North Pacific Fisheries Commission on potential cooperation in relation to climate change. Full discussions are available in paragraphs 55 – 58 of the NC20 Summary Report.

PURPOSE - The purpose of this paper is to present the Secretariat and Scientific Services Provider’s (SSP) findings on the scope and feasibility of assessing active Conservation and Management Measures (CMMs) to determine specific CMM provisions that may be susceptible to the impacts of climate change. This paper responds to a directive from WCPFC20 to present this information to the Science Committee, the Technical and Compliance Committee, and the Commission in 20242. This paper also provides additional information to supplement the assessment of CMMs susceptible to climate change regarding non-target, associated, and dependent species-related CMMs, MCSrelated CMMs, and incorporating climate change impacts into the WCPFC harvest strategy framework.