SFA Fisheries Statistical Report 2016 Semester 1

Abstract

This Statistical bulletin presents statistics for purse seine fishery, semi industrial longline fishery, artisanal fishery, vessel port activities and expenditures, and fisheries import and export for the year 2015 and first semester of 2016. Data used to generate the tables and figures for industrial and semi industrial fishery presented here are based on daily catch and effort forms (logbooks) and landing and transhipment forms returned from fishing vessels that are licensed to fish in the Seychelles EEZ as well as from data collected via the tuna sampling programme conducted during unloading in Port Victoria. Sometimes there are delays in these being received at SFA, especially for longliners that often spend up to a year at sea. For purse seiners the delays are usually during and just after the second quarter of the year when most vessels are fishing in the Mozambique Channel and are not necessarily using Port Victoria for transhipment. Figures presented on vessel port calls and expenditures in port Victoria are based on data collected from Seychelles Port Authority and shipping Agents respectively whilst export and import figures are generated from data sourced from the National Bureau of Statistics, invoices from local processors and export permit from Ministry of Finance. Readers should note that some figures presented in this bulletin may be different to previously published because these figures have been revised following thorough verifications carried out on the data following database upgrading, revised EEZ shape file used or data validation using VMS data. Also some of the figures presented may be subject to revision (usually upwards) as more data become available. Since space is a limiting factor in some tables, flag country appearing in these tables is included based on their total catch. The remaining flags are classified under “OTHERS”. Flag countries with only one vessel are automatically placed under “OTHERS” to preserve the confidentiality of data pertaining to the vessel.