CMS Seminar: Conservation Burdens in Transboundary Fisheries: Insights from Multi-Fleet Bioeconomic Modeling
Presenter: Dr Ciara Willis (IMAS)
When: 1:00pm-2:00pm, Thurs 28th August 2025
Where: Aurora Lecture Theatre (IMAS Salamanca) and online
Zoom Link: https://utas.zoom.us/j/85054490735
Bio: Dr. Ciara Willis (“keer-ah”) is a biological oceanographer who studies the ecology of fishes, the social & ecological impacts of fisheries, and the connectivity of ocean ecosystems. She is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow in Fisheries Science at IMAS focused on recreational fisheries assessment. Ciara additionally contracts as a fisheries analyst for stakeholders in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Summary: Tuna fisheries in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean are among the world’s most productive, supporting livelihoods, food security, and economic growth across the region. As the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) transitions toward a harvest strategies approach, there is growing interest in understanding how these policy shifts may affect diverse fleets and fishing nations. In this study, developed in collaboration with Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam through the World Wide Fund for Nature’s Sustainable Tuna Partnership, we evaluate the ecological, economic, and social implications of three harvest strategy scenarios prioritized by stakeholders: (1) rebuilding juvenile tuna stocks, (2) sustaining prey species, and (3) improving the status of bigeye and yellowfin tuna. All scenarios deliver long-term ecological and economic benefits, though gains are unevenly distributed, particularly for purse seine fleets. These findings highlight key trade-offs and demonstrate how co-designed modelling tools can support equitable, evidence-based management of transboundary fish stocks across national and regional levels.
