Monthly Updates

  • Based on preliminary figures (and revised data), Mar saw increases in overall purse seine fishing effort and total catch, while staying at a steady overall catch rate. Fleet concentration remained heaviest in the west while we saw some shift to the east.
  • Overall effort rose 14% to 3,934 days in Mar with highest concentration in PG and FM accounting for 40%. Overall fishing intensity in EEZs decreased slightly while intensity in HS increased by 25%. Preliminary data in early Apr showed similar concentration as in Mar being heaviest in PG and FM, while seeing some shift to KI.
  • The overall average daily catch rate in Mar was 28t with highest rates in NR and MH, at 44t and 42t respectively. Catch rate for SKJ rose slightly to 20t but early Apr data pointed to a low catch rate of 16t.
  • The Mar overall catches increased by 15% to 109,685t mainly due to the low SKJ catch component. On the other hand, large BET and YFT catch rates increased, while small BET and YFT catch rates dropped. PG and KI accounted for 54% of total catch.
  • Reported total transhipped volume increased to about 68,666t with most transhipping through PG and KI. These accounted for 70% of total.
  • Bangkok SKJ prices in Mar as reported by Thai Union increased to $1,740/mt while the Singapore MGO price decreased by 3% to an average $661/mt. The SKJ and MGO price differential increased slightly.
  • La Niña conditions end, the tropical Pacific is now ENSO-neutral, and with more than 50% chance, forecasters expect the neutral state to continue through the fall.
Monthly Updates