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The incidental capture of non-target marine animals in fishing gear, such as seabirds, cetaceans, elasmobranchs, and turtles, is commonly referred to as 'incidental bycatch'. Seabird bycatch in bottom set gillnet fisheries (GNS) is known to be a major conservation issue both globally and within Europe; an estimated 76,000 birds are caught annually in the Baltic Sea alone (Žydelis and others 2013). Diving seabirds, such as seaducks, auks, divers, grebes and cormorants are particularly susceptible to capture in this gear. Gillnets, made of thin nylon twine, are essentially invisible under water, and diving birds are presumably not able to perceive the net whilst foraging at depth, becoming entangled and drowning. This particular fishing gear is used extensively across Europe, with both small and large-scale fleets operating in EU member states' waters. A lack of systematic data collection across most of Europe on gillnet fishing effort (particularly small-scale vessels) and on bycatch has meant that little information is available to assess which countries, fleets and sites are particularly at risk of causing seabird bycatch. Despite the general lack of information, some studies on seabird bycatch in gillnets have been conducted over the past few decades and these indicate that specific regions of Europe are 'hotspots' for bycatch in this gear. The Baltic Sea, with its internationally important populations of wintering seaducks, such as long-tailed duck, velvet scoter, common and steller's eider is one such 'hotspot'. In addition to the lack of fine scale information on gillnet fisheries, one of the most significant challenges for managing bycatch in this gear is the lack of technical solutions. For other fishing gears, such as longlines and trawls, technical solutions have already been developed and successfully implemented in a number of fisheries (largely outside of the European Union), resulting in substantial reductions (or even the elimination) of seabird bycatch.
Growing concerns have been raised about incidental capture of seabirds in various types of fisheries. Most attention has been given to bycatches of albatrosses in the longline fisheries of the southern Ocean. This report describes technical and management mitigation measures that have been tested in longline, trawl and gillnet fisheries, and critically reviews their fishery suitability in terms of efficiency and practical applicability. It is emphasized that studies based on observer data must be interpreted with caution, and the only way to determine the effectiveness of a mitigation measure is to apply an experimental approach including a control treatment without any mitigation device. There is no single solution to mitigate incidental seabird mortality in longline fisheries, and this review gives strong evidence that the efficiency of a mitigation measure is specific to each fishery. However, there is potential for considerable reductions in seabird mortality rates in all longline fisheries by employing appropriate and effective mitigation measures. In the Northern Hemisphere, where northern fulmar is the dominant seabird captured, streamer lines have proved to be very efficient in demersal fisheries. In the Southern Hemisphere, night setting has shown to be an efficient mitigation measure, and this measure should be used in combination with other measures such as streamer lines and longlines with integrated weight when fishing in areas inhabited by nocturnal and diving seabirds. Although few studies have been conducted in trawl fisheries, results indicate rare interactions between seabirds and trawl gear at times of no offal discharge. Studies reported to date suggest that no-discharge policy and ban of netsonde cables would virtually eliminate seabird mortality. During trawling carried out under offal discharge, streamer lines proved to be an efficient mitigation measure. Studies in gillnet fisheries are very scarce, and development of seabird mitigation measures for this gear type is in its infancy. Future research on seabird mitigation measures in longlining should apply an experimental approach to fine-tune the most promising mitigation measures for each specific fishery. Mitigation measures have been tested in only a few trawl and gillnet fisheries, and this work needs to be expanded to other areas where interactions with seabirds occur. Promising measures have been identified for trawls but not for gillnet fisheries.
Seabird Bycatch significantly adds to the knowledge base of seabird mortality in commercial fisheries, and emphasizes the importance of comprehensive solutions. The product of a 1999 symposium held by the Pacific Seabird Group, Seabird Bycatch is a response to escalating bycatch, a global conservation and fisheries management issue.
Potentially harmful contact between fisheries and marine vulnerable species represents a global conservation issue and efforts to mitigate the negative repercussions of these interactions belong in strategies for ensuring the sustainability of fisheries. This literature review offers a survey of mitigation measures and techniques that have been developed and tested around the world, aiming to address both the incidental catch of highly mobile species – specifically, cetaceans, seabirds, sharks and rays, and sea turtles – and depredation caused by dolphins. Based on research detailed in over 300 documents, including peer-reviewed publications, reports from international organizations and papers available on the internet, most of the mitigation techniques illustrated are still under development, with only a few already adopted through legislation. The selected mitigation measures are grouped by main types of fishing gear – gillnets and trammel nets, longlines and lines, trawls, purse seines, traps and pots – and further subdivided according to which of the four main groups of vulnerable species – cetaceans, seabirds, sharks and rays, or sea turtles – they are designed to protect. Preventive and curative approaches covering both technical measures (gear modifications, strategies, as well as acoustic, visual, magnetic and chemosensory deterrents) and management measures are described.
'The Sunken Billions: The Economic Justification for Fisheries Reform' shows the difference between the potential and actual net economic benefits from marine fisheries is about $50 billion per year, or some $2 trillion over the last three decades. If fish stocks were rebuilt, the current marine catch could be achieved with approximately half the current global fishing effort. This illustrates the massive overcapacity of the global fleet. The excess competition for the limited fish resources results in declining productivity, economic inefficiency, and depressed fisher incomes. The focus on the deteriorating biological health of world fisheries has tended to obscure their equally critical economic health. Achieving sustainable fisheries presents challenges not only of biology and ecology, but also of managing political and economic processes and replacing pernicious incentives with those that foster improved governance and responsible stewardship. Improved governance of marine fisheries could regain a substantial part of this annual economic loss and contribute to economic growth. Fisheries governance reform is a long-term process requiring political will and consensus vision, built through broad stakeholder dialogue. Reforms will require investment in good governance, including strengthening marine tenure systems and reducing illegal fishing and harmful subsidies. Realizing the potential economic benefits of fisheries means reducing fishing effort and capacity. To offset the associated social adjustment costs, successful reforms should provide for social safety nets and alternative economic opportunities for affected communities.
This report outlines the results of the internationally coordinated census of wintering waterbirds in the Baltic Sea 2007-2009 undertaken under the SOWBAS project (Status of wintering Waterbird populations in the Baltic Sea). The estimated total number of wintering waterbirds was 4.41 million compared to 7.44 million during the last co-ordinated census 1992-1993. Despite the general declines stable or increasing populations of herbivorous species were recorded. While benthic carnivores with a coastal distribution have either shown moderate declines, stable or increasing populations seaducks with an offshore distribution have declined seriously. Based on analyses of trends in wintering waterbirds and pressures indicators are suggested as performance indicators in relation to the international and national actions taken to reduce the anthropogenic pressures in the Baltic Sea.
This publication gives an updated review of the quantity of discards in the world's marine fisheries, using information from a broad range of fisheries in all continents. A number of policy issues are discussed including a 'no discards' approach to fisheries management, the need for balance between bycatch reduction and bycatch utilisation initiatives, and concerns arising from incidental catches of marine mammals, birds and reptiles. The report also highlights the need for more robust methods of estimating discards, and the development of bycatch management plans.
Interwoven with recollections of whalers and famous explorers, "Eye of the Albatross" probes the unmistakable environmental impact of the encounters between man and marine life. Safina's portrait results in an eye-opening look at the health of our oceans. 15 illustrations, 13 maps.