Unanswered Forum Topics

Seal bycatch in gillnet and entangling net fisheries in Irish waters

Submitted by morgaac on

Information on seal bycatch in Irish fisheries were collected through an onboard observer program. The gillnet fishery had no observed bycatch of seals. Grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) and harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) were caught as bycatch in large mesh tangle nets targeting crawfish (Palinurus elephas). The west and southwest coasts of Ireland have a high risk for seal bycatch in crawfish fisheries due to the presence of grey seal colonies and similar habitat preferences.

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Elasmobranch bycatch associated with the shrimp trawl fishery off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, Central America

Submitted by morgaac on

The elasmobranch assemblage associated with the shrimp trawl fishery operating along the Pacific coast of Costa Rica was assessed. Trawl hauls were conducted between August 2008 and August 2012, resulting in the sampling of 4,564 elasmobranchs from 25 species and 13 families. The most commonly caught species (66% of the elasmobranch abundance) included the Panamic stringray (Urotrygon aspidura), rasptail skate (Raja velezi), brown smoothhound (Mustelus henlei) and witch guitarfish (Zapteryx xyster).

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Elasmobranch bycatch associated with the shrimp trawl fishery off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, Central America

Study Type
Field study in the wild
Location
Costa Rica
Target catch
Shrimp
Effect on bycatch species
Significantly more elasmobranchs caught in water <100 m. Four species made up 66% of the elasmobranch bycatch.
Effect on target catch
N/A
Bycatch species
Fishing Gear

Elasmobranch bycatch associated with the shrimp trawl fishery off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, Central America

Study Type
Field study in the wild
Location
Costa Rica
Target catch
Shrimp
Effect on bycatch species
Significantly more elasmobranchs caught in water <100 m. Four species made up 66% of the elasmobranch bycatch.
Effect on target catch
N/A
Bycatch species
Fishing Gear

Effect of acoustic deterrents on the behavior of common dolphins (Delphinus delphis)

Submitted by morgaac on

Six different acoustic pingers and signals were tested at sea to determine their impact on dolphin behavior. Two prototype devices from the Board Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) were tested. One was a continuous pinger (CP) and the second a responsive pinger (RP). These were tested on five occasions. A third modified RP was also tested on five occasions and a fourth RP was modified into a multiple signal output device and tested on 15 occasions. In addition, the CETASAVER and Dolphin Deterrent Device (DDD) were tested on five and ten occasions respectively.

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Effect of acoustic deterrents on the behavior of common dolphins (Delphinus delphis)

Study Type
Field study in the wild
Location
Ireland
Target catch
none
Effect on bycatch species
CETASAVER and Dolphin Deterrent Device resulted in mild responses by dolphins. BIM pingers elicited no response.
Effect on target catch
N/A
Fishing Gear

Effect of acoustic deterrents on the behavior of common dolphins (Delphinus delphis)

Study Type
Field study in the wild
Location
Ireland
Target catch
none
Effect on bycatch species
CETASAVER and Dolphin Deterrent Device resulted in mild responses by dolphins. BIM pingers elicited no response.
Effect on target catch
N/A
Fishing Gear

Mitigation of harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) by-catch in the gillnet fishery in the lower Bay of Fundy

Submitted by morgaac on

Field testing was conducted  in the lower Bay of Fundy during 1996 and 1997 to determine the effectiveness of acoustic alarms (Netmark 1000) in reducing bycatch rates of harbor porpoises in gillnets. Alarms were spaced 100 m apart along the gillnet float-line. There was a 77% reduction in bycatch of harbor porpoises in nets equipped with alarms compared to those with no alarms. There were no significant differences in catch rates of target species, Atlantic cod, Atlantic herring and pollock. 

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Mitigation of harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) by-catch in the gillnet fishery in the lower Bay of Fundy

Study Type
Field study in the wild
Location
Bay of Fundy
Target catch
Atlantic cod, Atlantic herring, pollock
Effect on bycatch species
There was a 77% reduction in porpoise bycatch when acoustic alarms were used.
Effect on target catch
There was no significant difference in catch rates when alarms were and were not used.
Fishing Gear

Mitigation of harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) by-catch in the gillnet fishery in the lower Bay of Fundy

Study Type
Field study in the wild
Location
Bay of Fundy
Target catch
Atlantic cod, Atlantic herring, pollock
Effect on bycatch species
There was a 77% reduction in porpoise bycatch when acoustic alarms were used.
Effect on target catch
There was no significant difference in catch rates when alarms were and were not used.
Fishing Gear

Trial of acoustic deterrents (porpoise pingers) for prevention of porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) bycatch

Submitted by morgaac on

Four commercially available pingers (AIRMAR, Aquamark 100, Fumunda, Save Wave Saver) were tested on vessels operating in Cornwall targeting hake with gillnets. Pingers were tested for their effectiveness at reducing incidental interactions between the gillnets and porpoises. Only one of the four tested pingers, AIRMAR, performed 'satisfactorily'. 

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Trial of acoustic deterrents (porpoise pingers) for prevention of porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) bycatch

Study Type
Summary study
Location
Cornwall
Target catch
Hake
Effect on bycatch species
Only the AIRMAR pinger worked satisfactorily
Effect on target catch
N/A
Reduction technique
Fishing Gear

Trial of acoustic deterrents (porpoise pingers) for prevention of porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) bycatch

Study Type
Summary study
Location
Cornwall
Target catch
Hake
Effect on bycatch species
Only the AIRMAR pinger worked satisfactorily
Effect on target catch
N/A
Reduction technique
Fishing Gear

Trial of acoustic deterrents (porpoise pingers) for prevention of porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) bycatch

Study Type
Summary study
Location
Cornwall
Target catch
Hake
Effect on bycatch species
Only the AIRMAR pinger worked satisfactorily
Effect on target catch
N/A
Reduction technique
Fishing Gear

Final report to the New England Aquarium on pinger displacement trials for Ganges River dolphins Platanista gangetica in the Sundarbans mangrove forest, Bangledesh

Submitted by morgaac on

A study was conducted in Sundarbans mangrove forest of Bangladesh to assess the behavioral response of Ganges River dolphins to pingers. Just under 62 hours of theodolite tracking data from 75 dolphin sightings and 2,829 theodolite fixes of dolphin surfacing were analyzed. The results suggest pingers had a subtle displacement effect on the dolphins. There was an increase in the mean surfacing distance of dolphins from the pinger buoy within a 100 m radius. Pingers did not result in a decrease in the minimum distance of approach for dolphins.

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Final report to the New England Aquarium on pinger displacement trials for Ganges River dolphins Platanista gangetica in the Sundarbans mangrove forest, Bangledesh

Study Type
Field study in the wild
Location
Bangledash
Target catch
N/A
Effect on bycatch species
Subtle differences in dolphin behavior were detected but it remains unclear if pingers would successfully reduce dolphin interactions with gillnets.
Effect on target catch
N/A

Final report to the New England Aquarium on pinger displacement trials for Ganges River dolphins Platanista gangetica in the Sundarbans mangrove forest, Bangledesh

Study Type
Field study in the wild
Location
Bangledash
Target catch
N/A
Effect on bycatch species
Subtle differences in dolphin behavior were detected but it remains unclear if pingers would successfully reduce dolphin interactions with gillnets.
Effect on target catch
N/A