Experiment to Evaluate Gear Modification on Rates of Sea Turtle Bycatch in the Swordfish Longline Fishery in the Azores Phase 4 | Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction

Bolton, A. and K. Bjorndal Final Project Report submitted to the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service. Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research, University of Florida, Gainesville

Japanese tuna hook 3.6mm S/S caught significantly more loggerhead sea turtles than non-offset 16/0 and 18/0 circle hooks and caught more turtles in the throat than the circle hooks in the Azores longline swordfish and blue shark fishery. Non-offset 18/0 circle hooks caught fewer loggerhead sea turtles than non-offset 16/0 circle hooks in the Azores longline swordfish and blue shark fishery. There was no significant difference in the number of blue sharks caught on non-offset 16/0 and 18/0 circle hooks in the Azores longline swordfish and blue shark fishery.

http://www.sefsc.noaa.gov/PDFdocs/CR_Bolten_Bjorndal_2005.pdf