Resource assessment and development aims at assessing Tonga’s utilized and unutilized fisheries resources and to provide advice to executive management on the conservation of these resources with relation to fisheries management and development. The development and monitoring of ecological performance indicators with relation to each of Tonga’s major fisheries is to ensure sustainability of fishing activities and this is therefore an ongoing function of resource assessment and development.
Data Collection of Tuna Resources
This program is funded by the Secretariat for the Pacific Communities (SPC). The data are collected and sent to SPC for analysis. The total estimated catch by weight (mt) from logsheet for tuna species during 2009 is given in the Table below. The total catch for the year 2009 decreased by 49 % as compared to the year 2008. This was due to decrease in the number of fishing trips in 2009; 103 trips compared to 162 trips in 2008. Again, only 4 fishing vessels were actively fishing in 2009 compared to 9 vessels in 2008 and this could be the effect of economic crises facing the world today. In addition, some tuna fishing vessels were often utilised for sea cucumber fishing operations.
Quarterly Total Estimated Catch from Logsheet by Weight (mt) by Species, 2008
| Tuna Species | Quarter1 | Quarter2 | Quarter3 | Quarter4 | TOTAL |
| Albacore | 30.5 | 34.7 | 29.9 | 29.9 | 124.3 |
| Big eye | 14-Feb | 10,1 | 6.6 | 6,7 | 37.6 |
| Yellow fin | 49.9 | 27.4 | 11.9 | 20.2 | 109.4 |
| Stripe marlin | 0.9 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 4.7 | 8.1 |
| Blue marlin | 2.2 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 3.7 | 8.1 |
| Black marlin | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 3.4 |
| Swordfish | 3.2 | 2.6 | 5.9 | 10.2 | 21.9 |
| Other | 3.2 | 2.6 | 5.9 | 10.2 | 21.;9 |
| TOTAL (Mt) | 119.7 | 90.1 | 74.2 | 110.6 | 394.6 |
Data Collection of Snapper Resources
Data collection for snapper fishery is an on-going activity being carried out by this section. Catch for the snapper fishery decreases toward the end of 2008 but increases quickly in 2009 to 46.4mtin the 2nd quarter. However it decreased a little bit during the 3rd quarter but increased again in the 4th quarter to the maximum of 51675.71 Kg. The Section has noted that the catch pattern for the year 2009 is different from the similar pattern obtained in the previous 4 years. The total catches for 2009 increased by 6 % as compared to 2008. The quarterly total landing catch by weight/species (respectively) is given in the Table below.
Quarterly Total Landing for Snapper fishery by Weight (kg.) per Species 2009
| Species | Quarter1 | Quarter2 | Quarter3 | Quarter4 | TOTAL |
| Crimson jobfish | 3,19.06 | 3,733.90 | 4,133.60 | 2,896.60 | 13,960 |
| Golden eye jobfish | 1,084.00 | 11,495.60 | 2,222.80 | 1,532.20 | 16,334 |
| Long tail snapper | 18,479.50 | 13,323.45 | 11,588.30 | 22,359 | 65,750 |
| Short tail snapper | 2099.5 | 1247.3 | 1,675,3 | 2,475.90 | 7,498 |
| Comet grouper | 202.9 | 794.5 | 671.6 | 819.5 | 2,488 |
| Eight bar grouper | 1527.9 | 296.2 | 715.7 | 1,097.20 | 3637 |
| Sweet lip emperor | 2,062.20 | 3574.6 | 4,838.80 | 3353.7 | 13,829 |
| Longnose emperor | 180.4 | 285.3 | 1,037.10 | 266.5 | 1,769 |
| Rusty jobfish | 1548.3 | 5,249.30 | 4,854.90 | 2,580.30 | 14,232 |
| Saddleback snapper | 1676.5 | 2278.8 | 3,012 | 4,275.50 | 11,242 |
| Other | 2,168.40 | 4,121.50 | 6,511.10 | 10,019.40 | 22,820 |
| TOTAL (kg) | 34,225 | 46,400 | 41,261 | 51,675 | 173,561 |