Active Forum Topics

Acoustic characterization of bycatch mitigation pingers on shark control nets in Queensland, Australia

Submitted by morgaac on

Acoustic pingers, Fumunda F3 (2.7 kHz) for humpback whales and F10 (10 kHz) for dolphins, were used on sharks nets within the Queensland Shark Control Program.  Sound from the acoustic pingers was present for around 1.5 km beyond the nets. Humpback whales and dugons were able to hear the F3 pinger 90 m from the net and its two harmonic overtones (5.4 and 8.1 kHz) 10 and 210 m from the net respectively. The F10 pinger was audible to both species up to 130 m from the net. Dolphins could hear the F3 pinger 45 m from the net and it's two overtones 10 and 110 m from the net.

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A field test of acoustic deterrent devices used to reduce interactions between bottlenose dolphins and a coastal gillnet fishery

Submitted by Kate McClellan on

A study was conduceted to test the effect of SaveWave acoustic deterrent devices on target fish catch and bottlenose dolphins in the North Carolina Spanish mackerel gillnet fishery. Observations were carried out on commercial vessels and focal visual and acoustic follows of dolphins were conducted. Fish catches were significantly lower when dolphins were observed interacting with gillnets. The SaveWave device did not affect fish catch. Dolphins were less likely to interact with gillnets and more likely to echolocate when SaveWaves were present.

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White-chinned petrel

Species
Procellaria aequinoctialis

The white-chinned petrel is the most common avian bycatch species in the Southern Ocean (Weimerskirch et al 1999; Gilman 2006; Robertson et al 2006; Birdlife International 2013). The high bycatch rate is due to seabirds, such as petrels, being attracted to pelagic and demersal longlines by bait and offal discarded from vessels (Gilman 2006; Bugoni et al 2008) and the high incident of spatial and temporal overlap between petrel foraging grounds and areas of fishery activity (Delord et al 2010b).

Distribution
Southern Ocean between the tropics and Antarctica
Population
~ 3 million
IUCN Status
Vulnerable
Type
Bird
Bycatch Threat
Longlines, trawls, gillnets

Scup bycatch reduction in Loligo squid fishery

Submitted by morgaac on

Gear modifications to the Loligo squid trawl net were developed to reduce scup bycatch.  Two extension modifications, vee and ring excluders, were developed to aid in reducing scup bycatch when large schools are encountered.  These extensions were based on the grid/gate design but made flexible enough to be wound up. The extensions work as an obstruction device and are flanked by fisheyes, which allow the fish to escape.  Previous trawl net modifications were unable to reduce scup bycatch when large schools entered the gear.

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