Unanswered Forum Topics
Field Study 578
Field Study 578
Mitigating Seal Interactions in the SRLF and the Gillnet Sector SESSF in South Australia
Bycatch of Australian sea lions in rock lobster and shark gillnet fisheries is a key threat to the species. This report outlines and assesses methods for mitigating bycatch in these fisheries in South Australia. Gear modification was considered in the rock lobster fishery and spatial closures in the shark gillnet fishery. Spikes of different heights were tested to deter sea lions from entering rock lobster pots. Entry success significantly decreased with spikes extending high up into the collar (70 mm + from base) compared to other treatment and control pots.
Field Study 580
Field Study 580
Field Study 580
Northeast Regional Collaborative Research Conference
We will be at the Northeast Consortium's conference in Portsmouth, NH to learn about the sucess of collaborative research projects in the region. The Maine Lobstermen's Association (MLA) will be presenting a talk entitled, Documenting lobster gear configurations in the Gulf of Maine to help large whales, a project done in collaboration with the Bycatch Consortium.
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Annual Meeting of the North Atlantic Right Whale Research Consortium
We will be participating in the Annual Meeting of the North Atlantic Right Whale Research Consortium at the New Bedford Whaling Museum. The Consortium's mission is to "hold annual meetings at which research, new techniques, management strategies, and other facets of right whale conservation are shared and discussed".
See the agenda.
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19th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals
Addressing Bycatch in Artisanal Gillnet Fisheries
The Bycatch Consortium is co-hosting a workshop at the Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals.
Description:
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Effectiveness of a square-mesh escape panel in reducing finfish bycatch in a small-mesh bottom trawl used in the longfin inshore squid (Loligo pealeii) fishery
A parallel haul method was used to determine the effectiveness of a square-mesh escape panel, installed in a bottom trawl, in reducing the bycatch of scup and other finfish bycatch species during the winter. The square-mesh escape panel reduced the average catches of scup by 78% and 79% and catches of black sea bass by 69% and 75% in weight and numbers respectively. The square-mesh escape panel was also effective in reducing catches of sublegal-size scup and black sea bass by 17% and 20% in weight and numbers respectively. However, catches of the target species, longfin sq
Field Study 586
Field Study 586
Field Study 586
The repulsive and feeding-deterrent effects of electropositive metals on juvenile sandbar sharks (Carcharhinus plumbeus)
Tests with captive, as well as wild, juvenile sandbar sharks were undertaken to determine the effectiveness of electropositive metals in reducing the interactions with longline gear. Electropositive metals deterred feeding in groups of captive juvenile sharks, for a short period of time, and altered the swimming patterns of individuals when food motivation was not present. In the field, electropositive metals placed within 10 cm of the bottom longline hooks reduced the catch of sandbar sharks by around two thirds, compared to the catch on hooks with a placebo.