Availability of environmental data related to the shared stocks in the South China Sea

Abstract

The availability and of type environmental data in the South China Sea are discussed. Information from the papers presented in the last two shared stocks workshops were examined with regards to the availability of oceanographic data. Results of the recent collaborative survey conducted by SEAFDEC on MV SEAFDEC were presented particularly those obtained in the Eastern Peninsular Malaysia. It was found that the data currently available would be able to draw only few preliminary conclusions on the effects of the variability of oceanographic parameters on the pelagic fish stocks in the South China Sea area. However more data is required to fill the gaps and to ascertain accurate relationships between the pelagic fish and the environment in these tropical waters.