Proposal for a special project for hiring an expert to assist the SWG NPA-SA to conduct an assessment for Splendid Alfonsino and North Pacific Armorhead

The Small Scientific Committee (SSC BF-ME) was established to provide the best available  science  advice  to  the  NPFC  Commission,  through  the  Scientific  Committee  (SC),  to  ensure the long-term sustainable use of the bottom fisheries resources in the Convention Area. Over the  past  few  years,  the  SSC  BF-ME  and  its  subsidiary  Small  Working  Group  on  North  Pacific  Armorhead and Splendid Alfonsino (SWG NPA-SA) have reviewed fisheries and research data on NPA  and  SA  and  reviewed  approaches  applicable  for  stock  assessment  of  target  bottom  species. The SSC BF-ME plans to assess the status of SA in 2024 and provide management advice to the Commission as well as continue to develop approaches to improve the management of NPA stock. Recognizing capacity constraints in Members, and the interest to advance the stock assessments of two of the current eight priority species, the 4th SSC BF-ME meeting recommended and endorsed by SC08, the hiring of an external expert to support the work of the SWG NPA-SA.  The funding is proposed to come from the Special Project Fund.The purpose  of  this  project  is  to  hire  an  expert  in  the  use  of  data  limited  methods  in  stock  assessment to assist the SWG NPA-SA to conduct an assessment of the Splendid Alfonsino (SA) and possibly the North Pacific Armorhead (NPA) stocks in the Emperor Seamounts.