MFMRD Website

Statistic Units Main Objectives

  • To collect and analyze appropriate fisheries data from the fishing communities in islands of Kiribati
  • To provide useful information of the island fishery that could be used in the development and management of the fishery resources
  • To develop database software to improve data management and data storage systems

Roles of Extension Fisheries Officers

  • Collection of quality data continuously and should be twice a week
  • Submit data to the Fisheries Division in time (monthly data submission)

Roles of Statistic Units

  • Ensure that raw data are collected continuously and stored safely
  • Ensuring raw data collected reaches the Fisheries Division Office in Time
  • Ensure Quality Data is collected
  • Supervise data collection process
  • Feedback to Extension Fisheries Officer

Roles of Statistic Unit in data analysis

  • Data analysis
  • Provides annual statistical reports for use in the planning and management of fisheries resources. The needed data include catch, effort, value, export, import etc.
  • Data preparation for Kiribati data submission to FAO on a yearly Fisheries production

Statistic Units Fisheries data monitoring programs

The Statistic Units relies mostly on landing data to estimate the total landing of catches and fishing effort per year. Landing data collection is carried twice a week. The result of data collection is used for comparing results of the reported catch and the landing catch. All landing data are managed using access database named Kaiko_Pal developed after database training held at SPC in 2011. Given the limited storage capacity of access database it will be migrated to SQL server soon. Time series data obtained from this landing data collection are useful for making prediction on the current status of coastal fisheries. The catch per unit effort (CPUE) is raised to estimate the total catch by species per year. The total catches are worked out with the total number of active fishing vessels per island.

Socioeconomic Survey

Socioeconomic information helps fisheries officers and other coastal resource stakeholders to monitor and manage reef and lagoon resources in Kiribati. The information gathered is also important for making informed decisions about the sustainable use of coastal marine resources. Looking at it from the other side, the (effective) management of coastal resources has equally serious implications for the welfare of the community in terms of food security, income generation, and cultural practices, especially where the fishery is predominantly for subsistence purposes.
Socioeconomic information can help coastal fisheries managers identify potential problems and focus management priorities accordingly. We now know that understanding these aspects of the community is critical for effective resource management. For example, understanding the extent to which the traditional non-monetary exchange system has been replaced by a Western cash economy reveals the importance of the role of fishery resources in maintaining social institutions and thus contributing to social security within a community. Such aspects need to be taken into consideration, for example, when planning to improve income-earning opportunities through improving the marketing infrastructure for coastal fishery products etc.

Tuna Artisanal data collection

In order to estimate the total catch summary by month or year the total number of vessel are counted each day at Bairiki landing sites and recorded on an activity log sheet for fishing vessels fishing in the morning and in the afternoon.