Two Weeks Training on Coastal Fisheries Survey for Ministry of Fisheries Staff

Two back-to-back training workshops involving staff from the Fisheries Department and Pacific Community (SPC) have just completed at Fisheries HQ. The first workshop, which ran over a period of two weeks, aimed to improve the skills of Fisheries Department staff in analysing creel survey data. A creel survey is a survey of a fisherman's or fisherwoman's catch, usually obtained at a landing site such as a boat ramp or wharf. Monitoring catches and fishing activities is an important component of assessing the health of a fishery and developing strategies to ensure sustainable harvests. Using survey data collected by the Fisheries Department from 2013–2015, participants learned how to analyse data to estimate average catches per fishing trip, average numbers of individual fishes or invertebrates caught, length of fishing trips, catch-per-unit-effort and annual total catches. "Knowing how to analyse the data collected from our creel survey program will help us verify the status of our fishery, understand what species are caught, in what numbers, and from what locations. This will allow Fisheries to better assess and monitor the status of Tonga's coastal fish populations, and make better-informed management decisions" said Dr. Siola'a Malimali, Deputy CEO of Fisheries.

The second workshop, held on the third week, was dedicated to collecting biological samples to provide assessments of the status of key reef fish species in the waters around Tongatapu. In this week, participants learned how to determine a fish's sex and maturity status and how to extract otoliths, or fish 'ear-bones', for age estimation. Monitoring the biology of fish populations is an important component of assessing the health of a fishery and developing strategies to ensure sustainable harvests. Otoliths are particularly important for monitoring, as much like a tree, they form distinct growth rings that can be counted to estimate a fish's age. The information collected during the training will be used to provide information on length and age structures, growth and mortality rates and maturity schedules of species important to Tonga's inshore fisheries. These types of information will supplement the creel survey data allowing the Fisheries Department to better assess and monitor coastal fish populations.

The trainings were funded by the Australian Government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and were facilitated by Dr. Brad Moore from the Coastal Fisheries Programme of the Pacific Community (SPC).

For more information:

Dr. Brad Moore
Pacific Community
Ph. +687 26 20 00
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dr. Siola'a Malimali
Tonga Fisheries Department
Ph. +676 21399
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.