Key trends:

• Preliminary figures indicate that overall purse seine fishing effort moderately rose in April as did fishing intensity (fishing days/calendar day). Note that April figures may be adjusted as NFDs are processed.
• Total purse seine catch (EEZs+HS) rose in April, 7% on the March catch. Catch and effort saw major shifts towards the east and contraction in the west with PG and FM combined accounting for 46% as against 67% in March.      
• Based on preliminary figures, fishing conditions steadied in April with overall catch rate only a marginal 1% up on March, noting that overall catch rate has been on a downtrend since Nov ’22. Highest catch rates were in MH, PG and HS in that order but there was a mix of performances across all zones compared to March performances.
• Reported transhipment volumes was down 6% in April with reported volumes highest in FM and PG but these were down on March as transhipped volumes in MH and KI increased. Note that transhipment volumes are not available for all vessels.                 
• Bangkok SKJ prices averaged $2,000/mt in April, marginally up on March price but the highest in recent years, according to Thai Union figures. In contrast the Singapore MGO price reduced marginally to an average $737/mt in April.  The differential between BKK SKJ price and Singapore MGO price has further widened.
• ENSO conditions receded to ENSO-neutral conditions over the first 4 months of the year and El Nino conditions are forecast with 90% chance in the May-July period onwards.

Find attached the Monthly detailed and updated reports;