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Shark Depredation and Unwanted Bycatch in Pelagic Longline Fisheries

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Shark Depredation and Unwanted Bycatch in Pelagic Longline Fisheries Shark Depredation and Unwanted Bycatch in Pelagic Longline Fisheries Industry Practices and Attitudes, and Shark Avoidance Strategies Financial support for the research on which the content of this publication is based has been generously provided by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (WPRFMC), Regional Seas Programme of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Royal Caribbean International and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Disclamer The contents of this report do not necessarily reflect the views of WPRFMC, UNEP,Royal Caribbean International, the Moore Foundation or other contributory organizations. The designations employed and the presentations do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of WPRFMC, UNEP, the Moore Foundation or other contributory organizations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area in its authority, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. © 2007 Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes without special permission from the copyright holder, provided acknowledgement of the source is made. No use of this publication may be made for resale or for other commercial purpose whatsoever without the prior permission in writing from WPRFMC. Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400 Honolulu, Hawaii, 96813 USA http://www.wpcouncil.org Cover photos: Blue shark: © Randy Morse, GoldenStateImages.com; shark-damaged yellowfin tuna (courtesy of the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service Pacific Islands Regional Office); branch lines in a hook box on a Chilean artisanal longline vessel (courtesy of Pro Delphinus); multifilament mainline aboard a Chilean artisanal longline vessel (courtesy of Pro Delphinus); U.S. North Atlantic longline swordfish vessel landing a blue shark (courtesy of Greg Skomal, Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries); tuna being offloaded from a Chilean industrial longline swordfish vessel (courtesy of Pro Delphinus); Chilean artisanal longline vessels, Iquique seaport (courtesy of Pro Delphinus). For Bibliographic purposes, this document may be cited as: Gilman, E., Clarke, S., Brothers, N., Alfaro-Shigueto-J., Mandelman, J., Mangel, J., Petersen, S., Piovano, S., Thomson, N., Dalzell, P., Donoso, M., Goren, M., Werner, T. 2007. Shark Depredation and Unwanted Bycatch in Pelagic Longline Fisheries: Industry Practices and Attitudes, and Shark Avoidance Strategies. Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, Honolulu, USA. ISBN: 1-934061-06-9 Shark Depredation and Unwanted Bycatch in Pelagic Longline Fisheries Industry Practices and Attitudes, and Shark Avoidance Strategies By: Eric Gilman a, Shelley Clarke b, Nigel Brothers c, Joanna Alfaro-Shigueto d, John Mandelman e, Jeff Mangel d, Samantha Petersen f, Susanna Piovano g, Nicola Thomson h, Paul Dalzell i, Miguel Donoso j, Meidad Goren f, Tim Werner e a Blue Ocean Institute, USA b National Research Institute of Far Seas Fisheries, JAPAN c Marine Ecology and Technology Consultancy, AUSTRALIA d Pro Delphinus, PERU e New England Aquarium, USA f BirdLife South Africa, SOUTH AFRICA g Università di Torino, ITALY h Environment Consultants Fiji, FIJI i Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, USA j Instituto de Fomento Pesquero, CHILE MOOREGordon and Betty FOUNDATION Acknowledgements This research was made possible through financial support from the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, Regional Seas Programme of the United Nations Environment Programme, Royal Caribbean International and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Eric Stroud, SharkDefense LLC, kindly provided information on the development and preliminary results of research on shark repellents. We are grateful for the contribution of photos by Randy Morse, GoldenStateImages.com, Greg Skomal, Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries; Sean Van Sommeran, Pelagic Shark Research Foundation; Toshikazu Miyamoto, Global Guardian Trust; and U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service Hawaii Longline Observer Program. A central objective of this study was to draw upon existing fisher knowledge in the hope that this could be used to improve shark-related management for fishers and sharks. However, achieving this in the face of such diverse economic and cultural contexts could easily have met with skeptical or uncooperative responses by fishers. To the contrary, we acknowledge and are extremely grateful for the willing contribution of fishers who participated in the interviews. Through participating in interviews, 149 vessel captains, fishing masters, crew, vessel and company owners, fishing cooperative staff and port officials of 12 pelagic longline fisheries contributed invaluable information. For the Australia longline fishery research, John Webb of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority provided data from the pelagic longline fishery observer program, and Ian Freeman shared his considerable knowledge of the fishery and its management. Catherine Bone assisted with data and report collation. John Stevens and Jeff Dambacher of the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organization, Marine and Atmospheric Research Laboratory, assisted by discussion generally and with access to fisheries statistics. For assistance with preparation of the Chile and Peru chapters we would like to thank Pro Delphinus staff members Mariela Pajuelo and Celia Caceres. We are grateful for the contribution of the following experts who assisted with development of the case study on the Fiji pelagic longline fishery: Tim Lawson, Deidre Brogan and William Sokimi, Oceanic Fisheries Programme, Secretariat of the Pacific Community; Anare Raiwalui, Apolosi Turaganivalu and Neomai Turaganivalu-Ravitu, Fiji Department of Fisheries; Grahame Southwick, Fiji Fish Limited; Robert Stone, StoneFish (Fiji) Limited; Pio Manoa, University of the South Pacific; and Nilesh Goundar, Greenpeace South Pacific Programme. We are grateful for assistance provided with interviews by Giovanni Basciano, Roberto Ardizzone, Vincenzo Gennuso, Sergio Lombardo, and Ilaria Rinaudo of the General Association of Italian Cooperatives – Fishery sector. Information collected for the case study of Japanese longline fisheries is based on interviews, catch records held by the National Research Institute for Far Seas Fisheries (Japan Fisheries Research Agency), and other published information as cited. The Organization for Promotion of Responsible Tuna Fisheries, the Global Guardian Trust (GGT) and the National Research Institute of Far Seas Fisheries (NRIFSF) provided essential assistance in data access and compilation. Toshikazu Miyamoto of GGT and Ziro Suzuki of NRIFSF assisted with fishermen interviews in Kesennuma, Kii-Katsuura, Yaizu and Misaki seaports. The authors also wish to acknowledge the assistance of Sean Martin, Scott Barrows and Jim Cook of the Hawaii Longline Association. We are thankful for invaluable comments provided by Dave Kerstetter and Larry Beerkircher and information provided by Nelson (1953-2006) and Terri Beideman of the Blue Water Fishermen’s Association for the U.S. Atlantic case study. Support for the Atlantic case study was provided by the Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch and the New England Aquarium’s Research Department. v Contents Summary and Conclusions 1 Chapter 1. Introduction and Methods 5 1.1. Bycatch and Depredation, Sharks and Pelagic Longline Fisheries 1.2. Methods Chapter 2. Fishing Gear and Operational Characteristics 8 Chapter 3. Shark Catch Rates and Disposition 12 Chapter 4. National and International Measures 15 4.1. Summary and Effects of National/EC Legislation on Shark Interactions 4.2. International Initiatives Addressing Shark Finning 4.3. Conclusions on Data Collection and Management Frameworks Chapter 5. Economic, Practical, Ecological and Social Problems from Shark – Longline Interactions 18 5.1. Economic and Practical Concerns 5.2. Ecological Concerns 5.3. Social Concerns Chapter 6. Industry Attitudes and Practices 23 6.1. Industry Attitudes 6.2. Industry Practices 6 2 1 Avoid peak areas and periods of shark abundance 6 2 2 Reduce shark detection of baited hook 6 2 3 Reduce shark catch rate through deeper setting, line material or type of bait or hook 6 2 4 Reduce injury to discarded sharks 6 2 5 Reduce retention of sharks on branch lines Chapter 7. Potential of Deterrents, Hotspot Avoidance and Incentive Instruments to Reduce Shark Interactions in Pelagic Longline Fisheries 29 7.1. Shark Deterrents 7.2. Hotspot Avoidance through Fleet Communication and Protected Areas 7.3. Incentive Instruments 7 3 1 National and local constraints 7 3 2 Regional and international accords, regulations, and policies 7 3 3 Eco-labeling 7 3 4 Industry and market self-policing Chapter 8. References 32 APPENDICES – CASE STUDIES AND CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS’ CONTACT DETAILS Appendix 1. Australia Longline Tuna and Billfish Fishery 37 A1.1. Fisheries Management Jurisdiction A1.2. Shark Fisheries in Australian Waters A1.3. Introduction to the Australian Pelagic Longline Fishery A1 3 1 Target species A1 3 2 Management regime A1 3 3 Size of fleet A1 3 4 Vessel type A1 3 5 Crew A1 3 6 Fishing gear A1 3 7 Bait type A1 3 8 Target catch A1 3 9 Shark catch vii Shark Depredation and Unwanted Bycatch in Pelagic Longline Fisheries A1 3 10 Catch storage A1 3 11 Trip length A1 3 12 Daily fishing pattern A1 3 13 Market A1.4. Shark Species Encountered
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