A quantification of interactions between cetaceans and fishers was conducted in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. A large database of captains logbooks, 1980-2011, was analyzed along with scientific observer observations recorded between 1995 and 2011. The main areas of high co-occurrence between cetaceans and fisheries was shown to exist east of the Seychelles from December […]
March 2025
Reducing sea turtle interactions in the Hawaii-based longline swordfish fishery | Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction
To reduce turtle interactions, regulations for the Hawaii-based longline swordfish fishery required vessels to switch from using a J-shaped hook with squid bait to a wider circle-shaped hook with fish bait. Analyses of observer data showed that, following the introduction of the regulations, significant and large reductions in sea turtle and shark capture rates occurred […]
The composite square-mesh panel: a modification to codends for reducing unwanted bycatch and increasing catches of prawns throughout the New South Wales oceanic prawn-trawl fishery | Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction
Composite-panel codend netting decreased catch of non-target species, including commercially important whiting, while increasing catches of prawns in the NSW, Australia oceanic prawn-trawl fishery. Increases in retained octopus and red mullet and discarded eastern blue spot flathead (probably due to their large size) were observed.
Deterring harbour porpoise from gillnets: observed reactions to passive reflectors and pingers | Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction
Three different device types were mounted on floatline to test their potential for reducing harbor porpoise bycatch. The devices were two passive reflectors (target strength ranging from -38 dB to -24 dB) and a 2.9 kHz pinger. Behavioral responses of 355 harbor porpoise groups were monitored. 92.4% of the groups avoided the pinger equipped floatline, […]
Archived Events | Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction
Overcoming Development, Regulatory and Funding Challenges for Rope-less Fishing in the U.S. and Canada The objectives of the workshop are to (1) discuss the need for and approaches to implementing rope-less fishing to reduce entanglements of large whales in trap/pot fisheries, (2) discuss and develop regulatory pathways to make rope-less fishing legal in the United States and Canada, and (3) discuss strategies […]