Technical Review: Development and Application of Bycatch Mitigation Devices for Marine Mammals in Mid-Water Trawl Gear
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Technical Review: Development and Application of Bycatch Mitigation Devices for Marine Mammals in Mid-Water Trawl Gear Prepared for The Department of the Environment GPO Box 787, Canberra ACT 2601 th 12 May 2014 PROJECT REFERENCE: JN13087 Elgin Associates Pty Ltd ABN 59123488639 Disclaimer: The information compiled in this literature review was provided exclusively for the Expert Panel on the Declared Commercial Fishing Activity. The authors conducted a thorough literature review between January and May 2014 using information available at that time. The authors have made every attempt to provide accurate and appropriate citation of the material contained in this review, and are not liable for any errors or omissions, negligent or otherwise, in the content provided. The Expert Panel should cite the original source literature as referenced in this document. Document Information Authors: Barry Baker and Sheryl Hamilton (Latitude 42 Environmental Consultants Pty Ltd) Rebecca McIntosh and Luke Finley (Elgin Associates Pty Ltd) Date: 12 May 2014 Filename: Elgin Report_JN13087_SPF Technical Review report_12_May_14 Citation: Baker, B., Hamilton, S., McIntosh, R. and Finley, L. (2014). Technical Review: Development and Application of Bycatch Mitigation Devices for Marine Mammals in Mid-Water Trawl Gear. Report prepared for the Department of the Environment (on behalf of the expert panel) 12 May 2014. Contact: Elgin Associates Pty Ltd ABN 59123488639 Level 4, 11 Morrison St, Hobart, TAS, 7000 Telephone: +61 417 598807 Fax: +61 3 86486336 www.elgin.com.au Record of Report Distribution No of copies Status Date Prepared for: 1 Digital Draft 11 April 2014 Expert Panel 1 Digital Final 12 May 2014 Expert Panel 1 Digital Final 9 July 2015 Department of the Environment (public release) CONTENTS Contents ....................................................................................................................................... iv List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. v List of Figures .............................................................................................................................. vi EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................... ix Excluder devices ........................................................................................................................ ix Pingers ........................................................................................................................................ x Auto-trawl systems. .................................................................................................................... xi INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 1 Brief description ........................................................................................................................... 1 Scope .......................................................................................................................................... 1 Preparation of the technical review .............................................................................................. 2 BACKGROUND.............................................................................................................................. 3 How are marine mammals captured in trawl nets ........................................................................ 3 TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS TO MITIGATE THE BYCATCH OF MARINE MAMMALS ................... 4 Excluder devices ......................................................................................................................... 4 Pingers ........................................................................................................................................ 6 Auto-trawling systems and net monitoring systems ..................................................................... 8 RECOMMENDED MANAGEMENT NEEDS AND RESEARCH IDEAS .......................................... 9 SOURCES OF INFORMATION ACCESSED DURING REVIEW .................................................. 10 CASE STUDIES OF MITIGATION DEVICES ............................................................................... 18 1 Winter blue grenadier fishery (Commonwealth Trawl Sector, SESSF) & development of a Seal Exclusion Device (SED) ................................................................................................... 18 1.1 Description of fishery ...................................................................................................... 18 1.2 Nature and extent of the marine mammal interaction and bycatch problem .................... 19 1.3 Technical details of mitigation devices ............................................................................ 19 1.4 Trials of the device - information provided by Mike Gerner, AFMA .................................. 24 1.5 Efficacy of the device ...................................................................................................... 25 1.6 Specific vessel operating or structural characteristics ..................................................... 25 2 European (Dutch and Irish) pelagic fleet fishing off Mauritania, Northwest Africa ........ 27 2.1 Description of fishery ...................................................................................................... 27 2.2 Nature and extent of the marine mammal interaction and bycatch problem .................... 27 2.3 Technical details of mitigation devices ............................................................................ 28 2.4 Trials of the device .......................................................................................................... 29 2.5 Efficacy of the device ...................................................................................................... 29 3 Antarctica krill fishery and the development of a range of seal exclusion devices ....... 33 3.1 Description of fishery ...................................................................................................... 33 3.2 Nature and extent of the marine mammal interaction and bycatch problem .................... 33 3.3 Technical details of mitigation devices and trials of the devices ...................................... 33 3.4 Trials on the efficacy of the device .................................................................................. 38 3.5 Specific vessel operating or structural characteristics ..................................................... 39 iv 4 Small Pelagic Fishery and seal exclusion devices........................................................... 40 4.1 Description of fishery ...................................................................................................... 40 4.2 Nature and extent of the marine mammal interaction and bycatch problem .................... 40 4.3 Technical details of mitigation devices ............................................................................ 41 4.4 Trials of the device - Lyle and Willcox (2008) .................................................................. 43 4.5 Efficacy of the device ...................................................................................................... 45 4.6 Specific vessel operating or structural characteristics ..................................................... 46 5 Auckland Islands squid trawl fishery and development of Sea Lion Excluder Device (SLED) .......................................................................................................................................... 47 5.1 Description of fishery ...................................................................................................... 47 5.2 Nature and extent of the marine mammal interaction and bycatch problem .................... 47 5.3 Technical details of mitigation devices ............................................................................ 48 5.4 Efficacy of the device ...................................................................................................... 49 5.5 Specific vessel operating or structural characteristics ..................................................... 54 6 Western Australian Pilbara Fish Trawl Fishery and dolphin excluder device ................ 56 6.1 Description of fishery ...................................................................................................... 56 6.2 Nature and extent of the marine mammal interaction and bycatch problem .................... 56 6.3 Technical details of mitigation devices ............................................................................ 57 6.4 Trials of the device .......................................................................................................... 60 6.5 Efficacy of the device ...................................................................................................... 61 6.6 Specific vessel operating or structural characteristics ..................................................... 62 7 UK Bass Pair Trawl Fishery and adjacent, overlapping European fishery ..................... 64 7.1 Description of fishery ...................................................................................................... 64 7.2 Nature and extent of the marine mammal interaction and bycatch problem ...................