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 […]
Publications | Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction
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 | Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction
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 […]
Marine Mammal Bycatch in Gillnets | Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction
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 […]
South Asian River Dolphin | Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction
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 […]
Loggerhead Turtle | Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction
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 […]
Irrawaddy Dolphin | Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction
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 […]
Cetacean Bycatch in Longlines | Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction
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 […]
Experiment to Evaluate Gear Modification on Rates of Sea Turtle Bycatch in the Swordfish Longline Fishery in the Azores Phase 2 | Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction
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 […]
Technologies to reduce seal-fisheries interactions and mortalities | Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction
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 […]
Whale Shark | Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction
Historically, the whale shark has been hunted for its meat and liver oil. Whale shark fins are considered inferior in quality and the species is generally not targeted for its fins, although a market for them does exist in Asia due to their massive size (Norman 2005). Despite the fact that there is a paucity […]
Evaluating the effectiveness of seabird bycatch mitigation measures for pelagic longlines in the South Atlantic | Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction
This paper focuses on mitigation measures specified by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) related to threatened seabirds foraging in the south Atlantic Ocean. The authors developed an ecological risk assessment for various combinations of mitigation measures to protect five threatened albatross and petrel populations, comparing those specified by ICCAT to […]
Pearls are not just for girls: Plastic spheres do not interfere with target catches in a set net fishery | Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction
Pearl Nets, a passive acoustic deterrent, were tested in commercial gillnet fisheries in the Western Baltic Sea. Compared to a control, the Peal Nets reduced harbor porpoise bycatch and maintained target catch rate for Atlantic cod.
The Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction | Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction
The Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction was founded in 2004 by Duke University, Maine Lobstermen’s Association, New England Aquarium, and University of New Hampshire. Blue Water Fishermen’s Association joined the Consortium shortly thereafter. Administered by Dr. Timothy Werner of OAI Consulting and UMASS-Boston, the Consortium supports collaborative research between scientists and the fishing industry to identify practical […]