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The Sixth Regular Session of the Scientific Committee of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) will be held from 10-19 August in Nuku'alofa, Tonga (click here to access the agenda and other documents).

Several working and information papers to be considered deal with matters pertaining to the conservation of seabirds by reducing bycatch, including of ACAP-listed species.  A list of such papers by authors and title follows: 

ACAP:  Review of seabird bycatch mitigation measures for pelagic longline fishing operations.  SC6-EB-WP-04_Review_Seabird_Mitigation_for_PelagicLongline_ACAP.pdf.

ACAP:  Options for differential management and monitoring of seabird bycatch.  SC6-EB-WP-05_Opt_differential_mngmt_Seabird_ACAP.pdf.

Dominique Filippi , Susan Waugh & Simon Nicol:  Revised spatial risk indicators for seabird interactions with longline fisheries in the western and central Pacific.  WCPFC-SC6-2010-EB-IP-01_seabird_ERA.pdf.

Edward F. Melvin, Troy J. Guy & Lorraine B. Read:  Shrink and defend: a comparison of two streamer line designs in the 2009 South Africa Tuna Fishery.  WCPFC-SC6-2010-EB-IP-09_Comparison_two_streamer_line_designs.pdf.

Graham Robertson, Steven G. Candy & Barbara Wienecke:  Effect of line shooter and mainline tension on the sink rates of pelagic longlines and implications for seabird interactions.  WCPFC-SC6-2010-EB-WP-07_Roberston_line_shooter&mainline_tension_on_sink_rates.pdf.

Graham Robertson, Steven G. Candy, Barbara Wienecke & Kieran Lawton.  Experimental determinations of factors affecting the sink rates of baited hooks to minimise seabird mortality in pelagic longline fisheries.  WCPFC-SC6-2010-EB-WP-06_Roberston_factors_affecting_sink rates_of_baited_hooks.pdf.

Noriyosi Sato, Daisuke Ochi, Hiroshi Minami, Hiroshi Shono & Kotaro Yokawa:  Experimental comparison among four types tori-line designs in the western North Pacific.  WCPFC-SC6-2010-EB-WP-02_Sato_Tori_Line_Paper.pdf.

WCPFC Secretariat:  Seabird bycatch mitigation.  WCPFC-SC6-2010-EB-IP-04_Seabird_Mitigation.pdf.

ACAP will be represented at the meeting by its Executive Secretary, Warren Papworth.  It is planned to carry a report of the meeting later in the month

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 6 August 2010