The workshop covered topics such as time-area closures, as well as several methods under evaluation in different parts of the world for reducing the bycatch and subsequent mortality of odontocetes in longline gear, including acoustic deterrents, weak hooks, and net sleeves. Many questions remain in understanding the efficacy of these mitigation methods, and how practical they may be to the fishing industry. During the workshop, participants developed recommendations regarding mitigation options and identified research priorities for the future.
Presentations from the workshop can be viewed here: International Marine Mammal - Longline Bycatch Mitigation Workshop
Featured Bycatch Species
Data from the Northwest Atlantic suggests that the thorny skate began declining in the early 1980s and accelerated in the early 1990s (Burgess et al 2005).