Data Submission Requirements

The CCSBT has several requirements for data submission from Members, Cooperating Non-Members and Other States/Fishing Entities Cooperating in the CDS.  These requirements are described below.  The CCSBT also has several requirements for providing annual reports and other documents to meetings of the CCSBT and its subsidiary bodies.  These annual reporting and documentation requirements are described separately at:

• Annual Reporting and Documentation Requirements of Members and CNMs.

Scientific Data Exchange

The Scientific Data Exchange is an annual exchange of information designed to provide Members and the Extended Scientific Committee with information necessary for assessing the state of the Southern Bluefin Tuna stock.  In most years, the exchange of information occurs primarily during April and May to enable analyses of the data prior to the annual meeting of the Scientific Committee, which is usually held in early September. 

Members and Cooperating Non-Members (CNMs) are expected to provide information on the total catch of southern bluefin tuna (SBT) per fleet, aggregated SBT catch and effort information, SBT catch at size and SBT catch at age data.  However, the precise information to be provided by each Member and CNM varies. The information to be provided by each Member/CNM and the dates by which it must be provided is specified each year by the Extended Scientific Committee.  The requirements for 2025 are specified at:

• Requirements for the 2025 Scientific Data Exchange. 

In addition, Members and CNMs are expected to verify scientific datasets against other, independent data sets wherever possible on an annual basis in accordance with the CCSBT's High-Level Code of practice for Verification of Scientific Data.

ERSWG Data Exchange

An agreement on the exchange of data for the Ecological Related Species Working Group (ERSWG) was reached at the 19th Annual Meeting of the CCSBT. The initial exchange of ERS data occurred during April 2013 when data were exchanged for the 2010 and 2011 calendar years. The ERS Data exchange is now an annual process in which ERS data for the immediately preceding calendar year are provided by 31 July each year (so data for 2024 are to be provided to the Secretariat by 31 July 2025).

Details of the agreement and the information to be provided are specified at:

• ERSWG Data Exchange (Revised October 2019)

Monthly Catch Reporting

The Monthly Catch Reporting system was established during 2005 to improve the management and compliance regimes for the fishery.

Each month, Members and Cooperating Non-Members are required to report their total southern bluefin tuna (SBT) catch (whole weight, in kilograms) for the previous month, and the total cumulative SBT catch (whole weight, in kilograms) for the year to date, to the Secretariat. The report is required to be provided no later than the last day of the month following fishing.

Reporting of Initial Allocations and Final Catch by Vessel/Company

The reporting of initial allocations and final catch by vessel/company was established during 2006 in order to improve transparency of, and confidence in CCSBT management measures.

Members and Cooperating Non-Members (CNMs) are required to provide the following information to the CCSBT Secretariat:

• Members and CNMs that manage their southern bluefin tuna fishery with an individual quota management system are to report:
  • the yearly SBT quota and catch allocation arrangements for this fishery either by company, quota holder or vessel; and
  • the final SBT catch against quota by company, quota holder or vessel at the completion of a vessel’s fishing period or fishing year.
• Members and CNMs that manage through an “Olympic” system are to report:
  • the final SBT catch by company or vessel at the completion of a vessel’s fishing period or fishing year.

The catches and allocations specified above should be reported as whole weights in kilograms.  The timeframe established for providing this information is as follows:

• Information on the initial quota allocation is due within two months of the start of the Member's/CNM's fishing season; and
• Final catch information is due within 6 months of the end of the Member's/CNM's fishing season.

The table below lists the deadlines established for submitting this information between CCSBT 31 (October 2024) and the end of 2025. Due dates occurring before or after this period are indicated with a dash:

Catch Documentation System - Data Submission and Validation Details

Provision of CDS Documents to the Secretariat

Members, Cooperating Non-Members (CNMs) and Other States/Fishing Entities Cooperating in the CDS (OSECs) are required to forward copies of all CDS documents issued or received by them to the CCSBT Secretariat on a quarterly basis.  This includes the following CDS Forms: Farm Stocking; Farm Transfer; Catch Monitoring; Re-export/Export after Landing of Domestic Product; and Catch Tagging. 

In the case of the Catch Tagging Form, Members and CNMs must provide the information in the Catch Tagging Form to the Secretariat in electronic format.  It is important that the following electronic format be used when submitting Catch Tagging Data:

• Template for Catch Tagging Data
• Sample completion of Catch Tagging Data Template

The standard timeframe for forwarding copies of CDS documents to the Secretariat is as follows:

Provision of Validation details to the Secretariat

Members, CNMs and OSECs shall provide to the Executive Secretary information on validation including:

• Type of validation;
• Name of the organisation which validates the documents;
• Title and name and signature of officials who validate the documents; and
• Sample impression of stamp or seal;

The above information should be submitted for all officials and persons holding authority to validate CCSBT CDS documentation before those officials and persons exercise their authority.

Members, CNMs and OSECs must inform the CCSBT Executive Secretary of any changes to validation details in a timely fashion.

Authorised Farms, Fishing Vessels and Carrier Vessels

Members and Cooperating Non-Members (CNMs) are required to submit the following authorisations to the CCSBT Executive Secretary:

• The list of fishing vessels flying the Member’s/CNM's flag that are authorised to fish for SBT;
• The list of SBT farms under the Member’s jurisdiction that are authorised to operate for farming of SBT; and
• The list of Carrier Vessels that are authorised to receive at-sea or in-port transhipments from its Tuna Longline Fishing Vessels with Freezer Capacity (LSTLVs).

Members and CNMs are required to notify the Executive Secretary of any addition to, any deletion from and/or any modification of the CCSBT Record of Authorised Fishing Vessels, Farms or Carrier Vessels at any time such changes occur.

The templates to be used for submitting updates of Authorised Fishing Vessels, Farms and Carrier Vessels are:

• Template for submitting Authorised Farms;
• Template for submitting Authorised Fishing Vessels (updated October 2023);
• Template for submitting Authorised Carrier Vessels (updated October 2014).

Transhipments of SBT at Sea or in Port - Provision of Information to the Secretariat

The CCSBT Transhipment Resolution includes monitoring of both at-sea and in-port transhipments involving SBT by tuna longline fishing vessels with Freezing Capacity (LSTLVs).

Transhipments at Sea

To enable interoperability between the CCSBT, IOTC and ICCAT transhipment at-sea monitoring programs, the IOTC/ICCAT Secretariat, observers, transhipment declarations and registration numbers may be treated as being the CCSBT equivalents provided that the presence of SBT is reported at each stage. This means that, for example, providing a Transhipment Declaration to either the IOTC or ICCAT Secretariats is operationally equivalent to having provided it to the CCSBT Secretariat.

The following are the requirements for provision of information to the Secretariat for at-sea transhipments:

• Between approximately 15 days to 2 months before the Carrier Vessel sails for a trip that will include a transhipment of SBT at-sea, the Flag State/ Fishing Entity must complete and transmit a CCSBT observer deployment request to the Secretariat, and
• The master of the receiving Carrier Vessel must complete and transmit a Transhipment Declaration to the Secretariat, along with its number in the CCSBT Record of Carrier Vessels authorised to receive transhipment at sea, within 24 hours of the completion of the transhipment.

Transhipments in Port

For transhipments in port, observers are not required to be on board the receiving Carrier Vessel, and there is currently no interoperability between the CCSBT and other RFMOs. Therefore, Transhipment Declarations need to be submitted directly to the CCSBT Secretariat.

The following is the requirement for provision of information to the Secretariat for in-port transhipments:

• Within 24 hours of the completion of an in-port transhipment, the master of the receiving Carrier Vessel must complete and transmit a CCSBT Transhipment Declaration to the CCSBT Secretariat, and a copy of this Transhipment Declaration must be retained on board the receiving Carrier Vessel.

Inspections in Port

Commencing from 1 January 2017, Members/CNMs must fulfil the requirements of the CCSBT Scheme for Minimum Standards for Inspection in Port.  This Resolution requires that Members/ CNMs inspect at least 5% of landing and transhipment operations involving SBT made by foreign fishing/ carrier vessels (excluding container vessels) in their designated ports.

It includes the following items which must be provided/reported to the CCSBT Secretariat by each Member/CNM:

• A designated point of contact for each of the following two purposes: (1) A point of contact to receive any port entry requests from foreign fishing/carrier vessels carrying SBT or fish products originating from SBT wishing to land or tranship in port, and (2) A point of contact to receive any inspection reports from foreign ports concerning the Member’s/CNM’s own vessels;
• A list of designated ports to which foreign fishing/carrier vessels carrying SBT or products originating from SBT may request entry;
• The notification period for entry into port (if it differs from the standard 72 hours’ notice required by the Resolution)

Members and CNMs are required to notify the CCSBT Secretariat of any subsequent change to the points of contact or list of designated ports at least 14 days before the changes take effect.

The template to use for submitting initial/updated points of contact and designated port information is:

• Template for submitting points of contact and designated port information

The following items must also be provided/reported to the CCSBT Secretariat by each Member/CNM:

• Completed inspection reports must be transmitted to the Secretariat no later than 14 days following the date of completion of the inspection. If the inspection report cannot be transmitted within 14 days, the CCSBT Secretariat should be notified within the 14-day time period of the reasons for the delay and when the report will be submitted;
• Where any detected infringement(s) noted in the inspection report fall(s) within the legal jurisdiction of the Port Member/CNM, the Port Member/CNM must promptly notify the Secretariat (and other parties) of any action taken with respect to the detected infringement(s);
• For specified infringements, the Flag Member must investigate the infringements and notify the Secretariat of the status of the investigation and of any enforcement action taken within 6 months of receiving the inspection report for the infringements; and
• Where any evidence of SBT IUU fishing activities is detected by a Port Member/ CNM, the Secretariat must be notified as soon as possible, and supporting evidence provided.