Introduction

The IOTC reference data code lists are utilised to categorise and qualify the fisheries and biological datasets managed by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), including those collected through the Regional Observer Scheme (ROS). The IOTC Reference Data Catalogue provides a comprehensive summary of all IOTC reference data code lists maintained by the IOTC Secretariat to support the standardisation, validation, and integration of fisheries statistical data. These code lists are used across all data collection and reporting frameworks under the IOTC mandate and include controlled vocabularies for vessel types, gear types, species, areas, flag States, and other attributes relevant to tuna and tuna-like species fisheries.

The code lists are organised by functional domain and displayed in a paginated, searchable table format, with a brief description and an option to export each list as a CSV file for offline use. Each IOTC form used for reporting data to the IOTC includes URL links to the relevant code lists accompanying each dataset.

Click on one of the links below for direct access to the reference data for a specific domain:

Current Reference Data Domains

Administrative and Geospatial Domains

A collection of code lists modelling:

Click here to access all reference codes for this domain.

Fisheries and Fishing Technologies Domains

A collection of code lists modelling:

Click here to access all reference codes for this domain.

Biology and Morphometrics Domains

A collection of code lists modelling:

Click here to access all reference codes for this domain.

Social and Economic Domains

A collection of code lists modelling:

This domain will be further developed following the IOTC Working on Socio-Economics.

Click here to access all reference codes for this domain.

Data and Metadata Domains

A collection of code lists modelling:

  • The elements of the core statistical datasets (type of data, data raising, and estimation)
  • All types of data sources (dataset-specific)
  • All types of data processing (dataset-specific)
  • Original data coverage

Click here to access all reference codes for this domain.

Legacy and External References Domains

All legacy code lists managed by either IOTC or other external entities (FAO, IUCN, UN, etc.) such as:

Click here to access all reference codes for this domain.