PURSE-SEINE CATCH FROM THE 2008 INDEPENDENT TUNA PORT SAMPLING WCPFC-SC5-2009/EB- IP-16

An independent tuna port sampling was carried out in Papua New Guinea in 2008 to monitor the type and amount of fish caught by purse seiners within PNG waters. The sampling was also used to assess whether there are changes in the sizes of the fish caught. A total of 376, 358 tuna and non-tuna species were sampled. Species composition showed 70 % skipjack, 26 % yellowfin, 2 % bigeye and 2 % bycatch. Length frequency comparisons of 2008 results with previous studies showed that there is no difference in the mean length of skipjack and yellowfin tuna but there is a significant difference in the mean length of bigeye tuna