Recent events of note include:-

• The CCSBT Catch Documentation Scheme comes into effect on 1 January 2010. As part of the scheme, a uniquely numbered tag must be attached to each whole SBT when it is killed (with the exception of some recreational fisheries which may be exempted).
• At its annual meeting in October 2009, the CCSBT agreed to a 20% reduction in the global SBT Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for the 2010 and 2011 fishing seasons. The CCSBT will work toward implementing a management procedure (MP) in 2011 and the MP will be the basis for TAC setting in 2012 and beyond.
• At its September 2009 meeting, the Scientific Committee recommended that a meaningful reduction in catch should be effected below the 2007-2009 SBT TAC and expressed concern about the low SBT spawning stock which was about 5% of the original spawning stock.
• Four new Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) measures came into effect during late 2008 and 2009. These included a Vessel Monitoring System (October 2008), a record of authorised SBT farms (January 2009), a record of authorised carrier vessels (April 2009) and a transhipment monitoring program (April 2009).
• The total number of fish tagged in the CCSBT tagging program remains at 79,404, with 10,800 recaptures having been reported as at October 2009. Recoveries of tags from all components of the SBT fishery are continuing.

Publicity material for the CCSBT tagging program has been placed at ports and on vessels targeting SBT. REWARDS will be paid for tags returned to the CCSBT or the member's fishing authorities nominated on the reward posters. Participants in the SBT fishery are asked to cooperate and return the tags. It is very important to understanding the fishery, which sustains a large industry and supports many communities.