Seabird Bycatch Rates in WCPFC Longline Fisheries [EB WP8] A. Black

By: Contributor(s): Language: ENG Publication details: [Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia] Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) 2008Description: No paging 30 cmSubject(s): DDC classification:
  • 639.27783
Online resources: Summary: "• Conservation and Management Measure 2007-04 tasks the Scientific Committee with estimating seabird mortality in WCPFC fisheries (CMM-2007-04 Paragraph 9). • This paper reviews the most recent rates of seabird bycatch reported for fisheries within the WCPFC • There are significant gaps in the available seabird bycatch data: - There are limited data on seabird bycatch rates from the Japanese and Korean distant water fleets operating north of 20°N and south of 30°S in the Pacific Ocean, areas where seabird bycatch is known to be a significant problem. - In general, seabird bycatch rates are believed to be lower in tropical longline fisheries, but data remain very limited, and fishing effort in this region is high. • Currently, the observer coverage within the WCPFC longline fisheries is very low (covering less than 1% of effort). Combined with the non-random distribution of observer effort throughout the area, this leads to severe restrictions in the ability to make estimates of overall seabird bycatch. An improvement in the level and spread of observer coverage would greatly enhance ability of WCPFC to estimate the seabird mortality in its fisheries, and to effectively reduce seabird bycatch. • Models combining fishing effort data, available bycatch rates and seabird distributions have been used to determine overall seabird bycatch within ICCAT longline fisheries (Klaer et al. 2008). A similar approach may be appropriate for WCPFC."
Item type: Meeting Paper
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Holdings
Current library Call number Status Date due Barcode
SPC Special Collections SPC 639.277 83 WES 2008 Available

"WCPFC-SC4-2008/EB-WP-8"

Includes bibliographical references

"• Conservation and Management Measure 2007-04 tasks the Scientific Committee with estimating seabird mortality in WCPFC fisheries (CMM-2007-04 Paragraph 9). • This paper reviews the most recent rates of seabird bycatch reported for fisheries within the WCPFC • There are significant gaps in the available seabird bycatch data: - There are limited data on seabird bycatch rates from the Japanese and Korean distant water fleets operating north of 20°N and south of 30°S in the Pacific Ocean, areas where seabird bycatch is known to be a significant problem. - In general, seabird bycatch rates are believed to be lower in tropical longline fisheries, but data remain very limited, and fishing effort in this region is high. • Currently, the observer coverage within the WCPFC longline fisheries is very low (covering less than 1% of effort). Combined with the non-random distribution of observer effort throughout the area, this leads to severe restrictions in the ability to make estimates of overall seabird bycatch. An improvement in the level and spread of observer coverage would greatly enhance ability of WCPFC to estimate the seabird mortality in its fisheries, and to effectively reduce seabird bycatch. • Models combining fishing effort data, available bycatch rates and seabird distributions have been used to determine overall seabird bycatch within ICCAT longline fisheries (Klaer et al. 2008). A similar approach may be appropriate for WCPFC."