The Commission has established a Working Group on Ecologically Related Species (ERSWG).  The Commission requires the ERSWG to provide information and advice based on research which:-

• determines the nature and extent of interactions with Ecologically Related Species (ERS) in SBT fisheries;
• determines the affects of SBT and other fisheries on ERS;
• assesses current or potential measures to reduce ERS captures.

In addition to the work of the ERSWG itself, the 2009 annual meeting of the CCSBT encouraged Members to annually assess ERS impacts and include a table of observed ERS interactions including mortalities and methods of scaling to produce estimates of total mortality in their annual reports to the CCSBT.

The ERSWG also has a role in the development of advice on best practice for educational activities. Education pamphlets on seabirds and sharks have been produced and distributed to SBT fishers since 2003. Technical (mainly taxonomical) aspects of these pamphlets were updated in 2011-13. These are;

• English versions (Seabird (Zip 58.6MB), Shark (Zip 38.4MB))
• Japanese versions (Zip 97.0MB)
• Korean versions (Zip 95.6MB)
• Mandarin versions (Zip 80.9MB)
• Indonesian versions (Zip 95.7MB)

The ERSWG provides advice and recommendations on these issues and on research priorities to the Commission through the Scientific Committee.