scholarly journals Bycatch Estimates From a Pacific Tuna Longline Fishery Provide a Baseline for Understanding the Long-Term Benefits of a Large, Blue Water Marine Sanctuary

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Jaiteh ◽  
Tom Peatman ◽  
Steve Lindfield ◽  
Eric Gilman ◽  
Simon Nicol
Keyword(s):  
Electronic Monitoring ◽  
Retention Rate ◽  
Fishing Effort ◽  
Longline Fishery ◽  
Vulnerable Species ◽  
Fishing Mortality ◽  
Population Declines ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
Catch Rates ◽  
Tuna Longline

Bycatch on pelagic tuna longlines has contributed to population declines in several far-ranging, oceanic species and presents a conservation challenge that area-based management tools are increasingly promoted to address. In January 2020 the Republic of Palau, concerned about the impacts of longline fishing in its waters, closed 80% of its exclusive economic zone to all extractive activities, reserving the remaining 20% for a domestic fishing zone (DFZ). One of a growing number of very large marine protected areas, the Palau National Marine Sanctuary (PNMS) spans ∼500,000 km2 and was established inter alia to allow for the recovery of fish stocks adversely impacted by tuna longline fleets. Given that the main tuna stocks targeted in the western Pacific are not overexploited, the benefits of protection potentially afforded by the sanctuary are likely greater for vulnerable bycatch species. Evaluations of the sanctuary’s performance require, in part, a baseline of historical catch rates and effort distribution in the distant-water fleet (DWF) and locally based fleet (LBF) operating in Palau prior to sanctuary implementation. We describe the fishing effort, catch rates, catch estimates and fishing mortality in Palau’s longline fishery based on logbook, observer and electronic monitoring data. We defined bycatch as any species, retained or discarded, other than targeted tunas. Between 2010 and 2020, 104.8 million hooks were deployed, catching over 2 million individuals from 117 taxa at an overall target:bycatch ratio of 1:1, with a retention rate of ∼62%. Pronounced differences in fishing strategies and spatial distribution of effort between fleets were associated with large variations in catch rates and composition. The LBF had a larger effect on populations of at-risk species relative to the DWF, with higher catch rates and magnitudes for several vulnerable species and higher observable fishing mortality rates (64% vs 50% in the DWF). The sanctuary reshaped Palau’s longline fishery, contracting the fishery’s area and capacity. The relocation of the DFZ eliminated the LBF and constrained the DWF to an area where the fleet’s total catch rates and those of a number of vulnerable species were historically lower relative to former fishing grounds now closed by the sanctuary. Our results highlight the importance of consistent bycatch monitoring and emphasize the need for regional area-based approaches for managing longline fisheries.

Spatio-temporal distribution of longline catch per unit effort, sea surface temperature and Atlantic marlin

2003 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 409 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Phillip Goodyear
Keyword(s):  
Temporal Distribution ◽  
Fishing Effort ◽  
Sea Surface ◽  
Sea Surface Temperatures ◽  
Fishing Mortality ◽  
Catch Per Unit Effort ◽  
Surface Temperatures ◽  
Unit Effort ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Catch Rates

Atlantic blue and white marlin are currently overfished, primarily as a result of bycatch in pelagic longlines directed at other species. One possible management measure to reduce fishing mortality on these species would be to restrict fishing effort in times and places with exceptionally high marlin catch per unit effort (CPUE). The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas maintains a database of catch and catch-effort statistics of participating nations. These data were analysed to determine whether the distribution of CPUE is sufficiently heterogeneous in time and space that such measures might provide meaningful management alternatives. The resulting distributions of catch rates were also contrasted with monthly average sea surface temperatures to examine the possible association between temperature and CPUE. The results show spatio-temporal heterogeneity in catch rates that may be partly explained by seasonal changes in sea surface temperatures. The time–area concentrations of high CPUE differ between the species. This observed heterogeneity might be exploited to develop alternatives for reducing fishing mortality for future management of the fisheries, but additional research is needed to refine the spatial scale of the analysis and to more fully understand the factors contributing to the observed distribution.

scholarly journals Impact of technological creep on fishing effort and fishing mortality, for a selection of European fleets

2006 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 192-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Marchal ◽  
Bo Andersen ◽  
B. Caillart ◽  
Ole Eigaard ◽  
Olivier Guyader ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fishing Effort ◽  
Marine Science ◽  
Fishing Mortality ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Past ◽  
Size Number ◽  
Catch Rates ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Selection Of

Abstract Marchal, P., Andersen, B., Caillart, B., Eigaard, Guyader, O., Hovgaard, H., Iriondo, A., Le Fur, F., Sacchi, J., and Santurtún, M. 2007. Impact of technological creep on fishing effort and fishing mortality, for a selection of European fleets–ICES Journal of Marine Science, 64, 192–209. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to identify the main changes in gear and vessel technology that may have improved the fishing efficiency of a number of French, Danish, and Basque fleets over the past few decades. Important changes include the gradual appearance of twin trawls (Danish and French trawlers) and trammel-nets (French gillnetters), and the increased polyvalence of Basque bottom trawlers. The results suggest that fishing effort descriptors that are not traditionally measured (gear type, groundrope type, length of net used per day, headline length, crew size, number of winch or net drums) may have a substantial impact on catch rates. Adjusting fishing effort using such descriptors may generally improve the relationship between fishing effort and fishing mortality.

scholarly journals Connecting post-release mortality to the physiological stress response of large coastal sharks in a commercial longline fishery

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. e0255673
Author(s):  
Nicholas M. Whitney ◽  
Karissa O. Lear ◽  
John J. Morris ◽  
Robert E. Hueter ◽  
John K. Carlson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Plasma Potassium ◽  
Stress Physiology ◽  
Longline Fishery ◽  
Fishing Mortality ◽  
Population Declines ◽  
Carcharhinus Plumbeus ◽  
Galeocerdo Cuvier ◽  
Physiological Stress Response ◽  
Stock Assessments

Bycatch mortality is a major factor contributing to shark population declines. Post-release mortality (PRM) is particularly difficult to quantify, limiting the accuracy of stock assessments. We paired blood-stress physiology with animal-borne accelerometers to quantify PRM rates of sharks caught in a commercial bottom longline fishery. Blood was sampled from the same individuals that were tagged, providing direct correlation between stress physiology and animal fate for sandbar (Carcharhinus plumbeus, N = 130), blacktip (C. limbatus, N = 105), tiger (Galeocerdo cuvier, N = 52), spinner (C. brevipinna, N = 14), and bull sharks (C. leucas, N = 14). PRM rates ranged from 2% and 3% PRM in tiger and sandbar sharks to 42% and 71% PRM in blacktip and spinner sharks, respectively. Decision trees based on blood values predicted mortality with >67% accuracy in blacktip and spinner sharks, and >99% accuracy in sandbar sharks. Ninety percent of PRM occurred within 5 h after release and 59% within 2 h. Blood physiology indicated that PRM was primarily associated with acidosis and increases in plasma potassium levels. Total fishing mortality reached 62% for blacktip and 89% for spinner sharks, which may be under-estimates given that some soak times were shortened to focus on PRM. Our findings suggest that no-take regulations may be beneficial for sandbar, tiger, and bull sharks, but less effective for more susceptible species such as blacktip and spinner sharks.

scholarly journals Catch Rates with Variable Strength Circle Hooks in the Hawaii-Based Tuna Longline Fishery

2012 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
pp. 425-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith A Bigelow ◽  
David W Kerstetter ◽  
Matthew G Dancho ◽  
Jamie A Marchetti
Keyword(s):  
Longline Fishery ◽  
Variable Strength ◽  
Catch Rates ◽  
Tuna Longline

scholarly journals Partial fishing mortality per fishing trip: a useful indicator of effective fishing effort in mixed demersal fisheries

2006 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 556-566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriaan D. Rijnsdorp ◽  
Niels Daan ◽  
Willem Dekker
Keyword(s):  
Fishing Effort ◽  
Fine Tuning ◽  
Positive Trend ◽  
Fishing Mortality ◽  
Auxiliary Equipment ◽  
Solea Solea ◽  
Seasonal And Spatial Variations ◽  
Sea Beam ◽  
Quota Management ◽  
Engine Power

Abstract Effort management has been proposed as an alternative for quota management in mixed demersal fisheries. It requires a metric to estimate the fishing mortality imposed by a given quantity of nominal fishing effort. Here, we estimate the partial fishing mortality rate imposed by one unit of fishing effort (Fpue) during individual fishing trips and explore the usefulness of this indicator for managing North Sea beam trawlers >300 hp targeting sole (Solea solea) and plaice (Pleuronectes platessa). Fpue is positively related to vessel engine power, and increased annually by 2.8% (sole) and 1.6% (plaice). The positive trend was due to an increase in skipper skills and investment in auxiliary equipment, the replacement of old vessels by new ones and, to a lesser extent, to upgrade engines. The average Fpue imposed per day at sea by a 2000 hp beam trawler was estimated to be 1.0 × 10−5 (sole) and 0.6 × 10−5 (plaice), and it showed substantial seasonal and spatial variations. The Fpue of sole and plaice were negatively related in summer and showed no relationship in winter. The existence of predictive seasonal and spatial patterns in Fpue opens up the possibility of fine-tuning management by directed effort restrictions and uncoupling management of plaice and sole.

Multiple challenges confront a high-effort inland recreational fishery in decline

2018 ◽  
Vol 75 (9) ◽  
pp. 1357-1368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher L. Cahill ◽  
Stephanie Mogensen ◽  
Kyle L. Wilson ◽  
Ariane Cantin ◽  
R. Nilo Sinnatamby ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Stressors ◽  
Fishing Effort ◽  
Population Declines ◽  
Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus Mykiss ◽  
Abundance Estimates ◽  
Sampling Locations ◽  
Management Perspective ◽  
Capture Recapture ◽  
Multiple Challenges ◽  
High Effort

Catch-and-release regulations designed to protect fisheries may fail to halt population declines, particularly in situations where fishing effort is high and when multiple stressors threaten a population. We demonstrate this claim using Alberta’s Bow River, which supports a high-effort rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fishery where anglers voluntarily release >99% of their catch. We examined the population trend of adult trout, which were tagged and recaptured using electrofishing surveys conducted intermittently during 2003–2013. We constructed Bayesian multisession capture–recapture models in Stan to obtain abundance estimates for trout and regressed trend during two periods to account for variation in sampling locations. General patterns from all models indicated the population declined throughout the study. Potential stressors to this system that may have contributed to the decline include whirling disease (Myxobolus cerebralis), which was detected for the first time in 2016, notable floods, and release mortality. Because disease and floods are largely uncontrollable from a management perspective, we suggest that stringent tactics such as angler effort restrictions may be necessary to maintain similar fisheries.

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