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title: "UPDATED Western and Central Fisheries Commission to revise its seabird bycatch measure?"
---

# UPDATED Western and Central Fisheries Commission to revise its seabird bycatch measure?

The Eighth Session of its Scientific Committee ([WCPFC-SC8](http://www.wcpfc.int/node/4587)) of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission ([WCPFC](http://www.wcpfc.int/)) held in Busan, Korea in August 2012 recommended that a spatial management approach be employed for seabird mitigation and that the Commission when revising [CMM-2007-04](http://www.wcpfc.int/doc/cmm-2007-04/conservation-and-management-measure-mitigate-impact-fishing-highly-migratory-fish-st) (Conservation and Management Measure to Mitigate the Impact of Fishing for Highly Migratory Fish Stocks on Seabirds) requires southern-hemisphere fisheries south of 30°S to use at least two of three best-practice measures: bird-scaring (tori) lines, night setting and  weighted branch lines ([click here](https://acap.aq/latest-news/the-western-and-central-pacific-fisheries-commissions-scientific-committee-recommends-best-practice-mitigation-measures-for-southern-hemisphere-seabirds-at-its-korea-meeting)).

 The [Ninth Regular Session](http://www.wcpfc.int/meetings/2012/9th-Regular-Session-Commission) of the Commission will meet next month in Manila, to consider the recommendations made by its Scientific Committee and its Technical Compliance Committee.  According to the [provisional annotated agenda](http://www.wcpfc.int/meetings/2012/9th-Regular-Session-Commission)for the meeting, consideration will be given to revising CMM 2007-04, with New Zealand having taken the lead in preparing for discussion a paper ([WCPFC9-2012-DP-16](http://www.wcpfc.int/meetings/2012/9th-Regular-Session-Commission)) that proposes the "two of three mitigation measures" approach.

 ![Fact_Sheet_00_Fig1](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Mitigation/Fact_Sheet_00_Fig1.jpg)

 ACAP will be represented at the meeting by its Executive Secretary, Warren Papworth.

 **Reference:**

 New Zealand 2012.  *Draft Amendments to CMM2007-04 Conservation and Management Measure to Mitigate the Impact of Fishing for Highly Migratory Fish Stocks on Seabirds*. [WCPFC9-2012-DP-16](http://www.wcpfc.int/meetings/2012/9th-Regular-Session-Commission).  9 pp.

 John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 8 November 2012, updated 10 November 2012