maximios

A computer model was produced to provide insight into how the Critically Endangered North Atlantic right whale (NARW) becomes entangled. It allows an anatomically accurate model of a NARW Population estimates of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale to “swim” into fishing pot ropes, that incorporate realistic physical properties and can generate measures of […]

Canada DFO Gear Innovation Summit 2020 Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium researchers invited to present work on gear innovations at Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ Gear Innovation Summit. Ropeless Consortium Meeting

Acoustic deterrent devices Underwater sound-emitting devices (maximum level of intensity equivalent to approximately 175 dB re 1 µPa @ 1m) attached to fishing gear, principally gillnets. ADD’s such as acoustic pingers are now mandated for use in some fisheries in the U.S. Northwest Atlantic, California driftnet, and in Europe. The sound of these devices is […]

Type Species Distribution Population Bycatch Threat IUCN Status Leatherback Turtle Reptile Dermochelys coriacea Circumglobal in tropical to sub-polar waters Decreasing Longlines, gillnets, trawls, pot/traps Critically Endangered Loggerhead Turtle Reptile Caretta caretta Circumglobal, in tropical and subtropical waters Unknown Longlines, gillnets, trawls, traps and pots, and dredges Globally Endangered Vaquita Mammal Phocoena sinus Northern Gulf of […]

The dusky shark is currently listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, but populations continue to decline. The dusky shark is one of the slowest-growing, latest-maturing sharks, bearing small litters after a glong gestation period. These characteristics make the shark especially vulnerable to depletion by fisheries. In the Northwest Atlantic, dusky sharks began to decline in the 1970s, when […]

Assessments of vision to reduce right whale entanglements Final Report to the Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction under NOAA Award #NA10NMF4520343 to the New England Aquarium, Boston, USA Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction/New England Aquarium

Chatham albatross are caught in a variety of longline and trawl fisheries in the southeast Pacific Ocean.  Known mortality from bycatch has been observed in ling demersal and tuna pelagic longline fisheries (Robertson et al 2004) and hake and orange roughy trawl fisheries in the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) (Baird 2004a; 2004b). They have […]

Fisheries bycatch is the principal threat to many marine mammals. In some cases, bycatch reduction devices have been shown to mitigate the bycatch of non-target species, but the scale of the problem outpaces progress in finding solutions. In particular, bycatch in coastal gillnet fisheries is one of the most immediate threats facing many marine mammal […]

The South Asian river dolphin is divided into two subspecies, one inhabiting the Indus River of Pakistan (Indus River dolphin – Platanista gangetica minor) and the other the Ganges and associated river systems in India and Nepal (Ganges River dolphin – Platanista gangetica gangetica); a subpopulation of P. gangetica gangetica is also found in the […]

The main cause of the decline of loggerhead turtles, and the current primary threat to global populations is bycatch in longlines, gillnets, trawls, traps and pots, and dredges. Loggerhead can be hooked in the mouth or another part of their body when trying to consume bait, entangled in gillnets or ropes, or caught in a […]

The principal threat to the Irrawaddy dolphin throughout much of its range is accidental entanglement in gillnets (Smith et al 2007). Freshwater populations of the species are at the most risk, particularly those inhabiting the Mekong River (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Vietnam), the Mahakam River (Indonesia), the Ayeyarwaddy River (Myanmar), and lakes Chilika (India) and Songkhla […]

Duke University scientists have been working with longline fishermen within the Cape Hatteras Special Research Area (CHSRA) to study pilot whale (Globicephala spp.) interactions with the longline fishery. Their initial findings were that short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) are the main species that interact with longline vessels during the fall season, that interactions within this […]

Circle hooks (non-offset 16/0 and 18/0) did not significantly reduce the number of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) caught in the Azores longline swordfish and blue shark fishery when compared with non-offset and offset 9/0 J hooks. Use of circle hooks decreased the rate of throat hooking in loggerhead sea turtles. Circle hooks (non-offset 16/0 […]

Acoustic Harassment Devices were not found to be effective in deterring New Zealand fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri) from mid-water trawls in the New Zealand hoki fishery. Sea Lion Escape Devices are undergoing testing in New Zealand˙s hoki trawl fishery (for fur seals) and the squid trawl fishery (for Hookers˙s sea lion). Preliminary results indicate squid […]