SEVENTH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME
THEME 2 FOOD, AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
Grant agreement for: Small Collaborative Project
Annex I - “Description of Work”
Project acronym: MADE Project full title: MITIGATING ADVERSE ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS OF OPEN OCEAN FISHERIES
Grant agreement no.: 210496 Date of preparation of Annex I (latest version): 18 December 2007 Date of approval of Annex I by Commission:
Beneficiary Beneficiary name Beneficiary Country Date enter Date exit Number * short name project project*
1 (Coordinator) Institut de Recherche pour le Développement IRD France 1 48
2 Seychelles Fishing Authority SFA Seychelles 1 48
3 Université libre de Belgique ULB Belgium 1 48
4 Fundacion AZTI AZTI Spain 1 48
5 Aquastudio AQUA Italy 1 48
6 Hellenic Centre for Marine Research HCMR Greece 1 48
7 Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco UFRPE Brazil 1 48
8 Université de La Réunion RUN France 1 48
9 Institut français de recherche pour l’exploitation de IFREMER France 1 48 la mer
10 Université de Montpellier 2 UM2 France 1 48
11 Fondazione Acquario di Genova Onlus FADG Italy 1 48
12 Centre of the University of the Azores IMAR-DOP Portugal 1 48
13 University of Patras UPAT Greece 1 48
1 Table of contents
Part A...... 3 A1 Overall budget breakdown for the project ...... 4 A2 Project summary...... 5 A3 List of Beneficiaries ...... 6 Part B...... 7 B1. Concept and objectives, progress beyond state-of-the-art, S/T methodology and work plan ...... 8 B1.1 Concept and project objectives ...... 8 B1.2 Progress beyond the state-of-the-art ...... 11 B1.3 S/T methodology and associated work plan...... 24 B1.3.1 Overall strategy and general description ...... 24 B1.3.2 Timing of work packages and their components ...... 26 B1.3.3 Work package list/overview ...... 27 B1.3.4 Deliverables list ...... 28 B1.3.5 Work package description...... 29 B.1.3.6 Efforts for the full duration of the project...... 47 B.1.3.7 List of milestones and planning of reviews ...... 49 B2 Implementation ...... 51 B2.1 Management structure and procedures...... 51 B2.2 Beneficiaries ...... 53 B2.3 Consortium as a whole ...... 66 B2.4 Resources to be committed...... 67 B3 Potential impact...... 69 B3.1 Strategic impact...... 69 B3.2 Plan for the use and dissemination of foreground ...... 70 B4 Ethical issues...... 71 B5 Consideration of gender aspects...... 72
2
Part A
3
A1 Overall budget breakdown for the project
Estimated eligible costs (whole duration of the project) Participant RTD / Demonstr Manageme Other (D) Total number in Innovation ation (B) nt (C) A+B+C+D this project Participant Total Requested EC 9 (A) short name receipts contribution 1 IRD 1407069 59995 61419 38467 1566950 0.00 775238 2 SFA 68718 1080 540 620 70958 0.00 50250 3 ULB 136800 0 4000 4000 144800 0.00 80600 4 Tecnalia-AZTI 443057 23968 6116 9840 482981 0.00 360233 5 AQUA 258213 0 5960 3628 267801 0.00 203248 6 HCMR 234440 0 4085 4085 242610 0.00 184000 7 UFRPE 313536 0 2000 2000 317536 0.00 163470 8 RUN 230200 8400 8400 2400 249400 0.00 187050 9 IFREMER 237518 18097 7971 7971 271556 0.00 196203 10 UM2 371800 8000 4000 4000 387800 0.00 223500 11 FADG 4320 0 2160 78320 84800 0.00 83720 12 IMAR-DOP 424384 0 20800 6080 451264 0.00 345168 13 UPAT 163840 0 1760 1760 167360 0.00 125520 TOTAL 4293895 119540 129211 163171 4705816 0.00 2978200
4 A2 Project summary
A particular attention has been paid worldwide on longline fisheries as they catch considerable amount of by-catch (seabirds, turtles, sharks, etc.). Seabird and turtles by- catch mitigation methods have now been established in many fisheries worldwide, but similar efforts must be put to reduce by-catch of sharks. In the same ecosystems, another issue attracts the attention of international tuna commissions: the use of drifting fish aggregating devices (FADs). These FADs are responsible for major catches of juvenile tuna and non target pelagic species (sharks). Finally, the effects of thousands of FADs released regularly in the tropical oceans are unknown, and must be studied to estimate if they impact the biology of pelagic species. The European open ocean tropical and Mediterranean pelagic fishery (Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, Greece) is one of the main sources of catch, income and employment for the European fishery, with interactions with many developing countries. The main objective of the project is to develop measures to mitigate adverse impacts of fisheries targeting large pelagic fish in the open ocean: purse seiners using FADs and longliners. Two main categories of mitigation measures will be studied: spatial management issues (e.g. closure areas) and technical solutions to reduce by-catch in these fisheries. The main concept of MADE is to follow a multi-disciplinary and comparative approach, combining biological and technological studies with economical analyses in different sites (Indian and Atlantic oceans, Mediterranean Sea), with a particular effort to closely associate fishers from the beginning of this research. High-tech technology and novel approaches will be employed (electronic tagging, in situ and in vitro experiments, etc.), and a particular effort will be devoted to disseminate results to fishers, tuna commissions, EU DG Fisheries, and scientists.
5 A3 List of Beneficiaries
Beneficiary Beneficiary name Beneficiary Country Date Date exit Number * short name enter project* project
1 Institut de Recherche pour le Développement IRD France 1 48 (Coordinator)
2 Seychelles Fishing Authority SFA Seychelles 1 48
3 Université Libre de Belgique ULB Belgium 1 48
4 Fundacion AZTI AZTI Spain 1 48
5 Aquastudio AQUA Italy 1 48
6 Hellenic Centre for Marine Research HCMR Greece 1 48
7 Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco UFRPE Brazil 1 48
8 Université de La Réunion RUN France 1 48
9 Institut français de recherche pour IFREMER France 1 48 l’exploitation de la mer
10 Université de Montpellier 2 UM2 France 1 48
11 Fondazione Acquario di Genova Onlus FADG Italy 1 48
12 Centre of the University of the Azores IMAR-DOP Portugal 1 48
13 University of Patras UPAT Greece 1 48
6
Part B
7 B1. Concept and objectives, progress beyond state-of-the-art, S/T methodology and work plan
B1.1 Concept and project objectives
Context This last decade, as an increasing number of scientists, politicians, fishers and conservationists clamoured for action to be carried out to resolve the problem of by-catch and discard in fisheries, numerous workshops, symposia and international agreements have been held to explore solutions (Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles, IAC, http://www.seaturtle.org/iac/; Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, http://www.fao.org/fi/agreem/codecond/codbobp1.asp; the International Plan to Reduce Seabird Bycatch and the International Plan to Reduce Shark Bycatch of the FAO, http://www.fao.org/fi/site.asp). However, the reality is that, for fisheries catching large pelagic fish such as purse seiners using FADs and pelagic longliners, more investigations must be done to reduce by-catch and more generally, adverse impacts of these fisheries. A particular attention has been paid worldwide on pelagic longline fisheries, as they catch considerable amount of by-catch (seabirds, turtles, sharks, etc.). Seabird by-catch mitigation methods have now been established in many fisheries worldwide (Hall and Mainprize 2005), and several projects have been conducted to reduce the by-catch and mortality of turtles (Swimmer et al 2006), all protected species by international conventions. Synthesis of these past and current studies and their application must be done in order to integrate these outcomes, but similar research efforts must also be developed on the two other major longline by-catch groups that remain largely unaddressed by research and technological development: pelagic sharks and juvenile (undersized) swordfish. Sharks are long-lived, low fecundity, top predators. These characteristics reduce resilience of shark populations and make them highly susceptible to overexploitation, and concerns regarding this possibility have been increasing due to their progressive importance in the catches and to signs of population collapse worldwide. Catch of juvenile swordfish is considered a major problem in the Mediterranean and Atlantic longline fisheries, and the recent imposition of a size limit (approx. 25 Kg) has not had satisfactory effects. In the same ecosystems, another issue attracts the attention of international tuna commissions: the use of drifting fish aggregating devices (FADs) which are floating objects used by fishers to attract pelagic fish. These FADs are responsible for major catches of juvenile bigeye and yellowfin tuna (Fonteneau et al. 2000) in all tropical oceans (Indian, Atlantic, Pacific). They are also responsible for by-catch of several pelagic species (sharks, dolphinfish, wahoo, rainbow runners, oceanic triggerfish, etc.), although the amount of these by-catch is not crucial (3-5% of tuna catches, Romanov 2002). However, particular attention is put on turtles which can be entangled in FADs equipped with nets and silky sharks, which are captured by purse seiners around FADs, and could represent a threat on this species considering its main biological characteristics. Finally, the impacts of thousands of FADs released regularly in the tropical oceans are unknown. Marsac et al. (2000) proposed the ecological trap hypothesis applied to fish and FADs. This theory indicates that tropical tuna and other associated species could be trapped within networks of drifting FADs due to their strong associative behaviour. Drifting floating objects could bring associated fish with them. The areas crossed by fish trapped in a network of FADs could be different from the areas fish would have visited if they were not aggregated. The ecological trap hypothesis assumes that this associative behaviour could thus modify migratory paths and have effects on certain biological functions, such as growth and reproduction. However, no data could validate or
8 invalidate this theory. An over view considers that this associative behaviour certainly emerged through evolutionary processes, providing advantages to associated species, and that the release of more FADs could benefit to some species. The only scientific consensus is that estimating the effects of floating objects on the behaviour and biology of fish (negative and positive effects), in an arbitrary and scientific way, becomes a research priority. The European open ocean pelagic fishery is one of the main sources of catch, income and employment for the European fishery. Fishing vessels belonging to Spain, France, Portugal, Italy and Greece operate in all tropical oceans (Atlantic, Indian, Pacific) and in the Mediterranean Sea, with interactions with many developing countries.
Objectives The primary objective of the project is to propose measures to mitigate adverse impacts of fisheries targeting large pelagic fish in the open ocean (purse seiners using FADs and longliners), through appropriate knowledge on the biology and ecology of species, and of the fisheries. While recognizing that solutions to by-catch often need to be tailored to specific fisheries, and may differ between regions of the world (Alverson 1999; Bache 2002), we consider important to gather in a single project mitigation issues of pelagic longliners and purse seiners using FADs. These different fisheries-specific issues concern the same groups of species living in the same ecosystems, managed by the same fisheries commissions (international tuna commissions). Some of the management objectives concern interactions issues between fisheries, such as the high catch rates of juvenile tuna by purse seiners using FADs, which are of low value at that size but which support high-value longline fisheries when adult. Therefore, we consider that a project aiming at developing measures to mitigate adverse impacts of fisheries on the pelagic ecosystems should consider both fishing fleets: tuna purse seiners and pelagic longliners. Adverse impacts of these fisheries can be summarized in the following table, constituting the specific objectives of the project:
Adverse Tuna purse seiners using FADs Pelagic longliners impacts/Fisheries By-catch of non-target Sharks and turtles Sharks, turtles, seabirds species Juvenile tuna (bigeye and Juvenile swordfish Catch of undersized yellowfin tuna) (< 25 kg) target species
Habitat modifications with Fishing activities on Habitat thousands of FADs hotspots of biodiversity modification/spatial deployed in the oceans and essential fish habitat issues
Main mitigation issues in open ocean fisheries: specific objectives of the project.
The S&T objectives of the project will target each fishery-dependent issue listed in the table above. Two main categories of mitigation measures will be examined: • Spatial management measures • Technical measures
9 The challenge in mitigation science is to find the optimal balance between technical measures (deterrent systems) and spatial management measures (avoidance). Spatial management solutions comprise closure areas/seasons in habitats of particular ecological relevance for by-catch species (for example, for spawning, nursing or growth), but also control of fishing effort according to knowledge on the dynamics of animals, and control of impacts on habitat if possible. Mitigation issues typically involve different and often conflictive stake-holder interests, and are too often contaminated with a priori assumptions, especially in fisheries involving oceanic, little-known species as the ones targeted by this proposal. Many by-catch problems can be resolved via technological solutions, but it is apparent that the successful adoption and use of these technological solutions will only occur when fishing industries are involved in all stages of the process. To address this issue, fishers will be closely associated to the project from the beginning, and specific research actions will be dedicated to examine the economic efficiency of mitigation measures, so that proposed measures will support a viable commercial exploitation of fish resources with minimum effects on the marine environment.
Concept Multi-disciplinary approach In their review, Hall and Mainprize (2005) argue that there are three generic systems that must be considered and dealt with in an integrated fashion if effective solutions are to be obtained to prevent by-catch and environmental side-effects: technical (coupling biology and technology), social, and regulatory systems. The main concept of our project is therefore to follow a multi-disciplinary and integrated approach, combining biological and technological studies (the ‘technical system’) with economical studies (the ‘social system’). The ‘technical’ system will be addressed through the combination of technological measures (deterrent systems) and spatial management measures (closure areas, control of fishing effort, impact on habitat, etc.) according to appropriate knowledge on the ecology and behaviour of pelagic animals. The sooner the fishers are involved in all stages of the process, the sooner and more complete will be the voluntary acceptance of mitigation measures (Kenelly 1999). Fishers will therefore be closely associated to our project. The ‘regulatory’ system usually depends on results from the two previous systems (technical and social) and will not be treated in this project. Innovative approaches Many mitigation issues can be solved through technical solutions, associating up-to-date knowledge on fish behaviour with new fishing practices. Studies on fish behaviour are therefore essential to progress in our finding of new mitigation measures. The project will use state-of-the-art technology to observe fish behaviour (acoustic tags and satellite- linked acoustic receivers, pop-up archival satellite tags, instrumented buoys), as well as innovative approaches such as interactions between fish and lures/robots. Behavioural studies will combine activities on captive animals with in situ experiments. Geography of the Project: Comparative approach In order to collect data on fish behaviour in various environments, field studies will take place in the Indian and Atlantic oceans and in the Mediterranean Sea, with two field sites in each ocean/sea. This will be the first research project to address the behaviour of pelagic fish in 6 different field sites. Moreover, this wide geographical distribution of the consortium ensures a good variety of fisheries contexts, which is the key for proposing mitigation measures that are adapted to several biological and fisheries situations.
10 Appropriate partnership and field sites The consortium covers two oceans (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean) and the Mediterranean sea, associating all main European fishing countries (Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, Greece) with other European (Belgium) as well as ICPC countries ((Brazil and the Seychelles) which play key regional roles in pelagic fisheries. It also includes two ultra- peripheral EU regions (the Azores and Réunion archipelagos). With the exception of the Pacific ocean, this project addresses the main fishing grounds of European fleets targeting large pelagic fish. Fundamental and applicable knowledge Considering the various objectives of the project, and the current scientific and technical progress, the project will aim at providing results with two types of expected impacts: • Short-term impacts: Methods directly usable by managers and/or fishers to mitigate adverse impacts of open ocean fisheries (e.g. longline fishing strategies to reduce catches of turtles and sharks) • Long-term impacts: Fundamental knowledge that are essential pre-requisites to determine if future mitigation measures are needed (e.g. impacts of FADs on fish behaviour), and the main directions to follow for future studies. Development and testing The project will propose technical solutions to mitigation issues through development and testing of prototypes, associating fishers to these activities.
B1.2 Progress beyond the state-of-the-art
It is known that some fishing practices could threaten the long-term sustainability of fisheries and the maintenance of marine biodiversity. In the framework of ecological approach to fisheries, there is a major international concern to find measures to minimize adverse impacts of fisheries. Adverse impacts comprise by-catch of non-target species/sizes, habitat modification, and undesirable biological interactions. Moreover, by-catch can generate conflicts between fisheries, as by-catch of some fisheries represents catch of others. The impact of fishing practices on both the non-target fauna and aquatic habitats became a priority issues in fisheries at the end of the 1980s:
Evolution of the number of publications in peer-reviewed journals indexed in Cambridge Scientific Abstracts on the topic “fisheries bycatch” (from Hall & Mainprize, 2005).
11 Historically, one of the first by-catch issue generating public attentions was the incidental mortality of dolphins in the tuna purse-seine fishery of the eastern Pacific Ocean during the 1960s. However, more generally, research and actions focused on this topic mainly concerned benthic and demersal resources exploited by both active and passive gears: otter trawl, beam trawl, demersal seines, dredges, gill-nets, traps, bottom longline (Kaiser and de Groot, 2000). Moreover, several works integrated habitats as matter of studies in order to mitigate fishing activities on it. A wide range of studies have been conducted to develop, experiments and operate mitigation measures in this field. It is only recently that pelagic fisheries, other than the tuna-dolphin issue in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, started to be concerned by such research, with gillnet then pelagic longlines catching large pelagic fish such as sharks, turtles, marine mammals, seabirds (Casey and Myers, 1998; Lewison et al., 2004). There was a general belief that the impacts of anthropogenic pressures on fish communities are mainly limited to the coastal zones (Caddy, 1993). While this assumption was probably valid during a great part of the 20th century, human direct and indirect influences on oceanic environments are changing and expanding. For instance, the massive increase of the use of drifting fish aggregating devices (FADs) in tropical oceans (Fonteneau et al., 2000) or the problems induced by the global climate change (Greene and Pershing, 2007) clearly illustrate that the impact of human activities now concerns the whole world Ocean. The table above in section 1.1 (List of main mitigation issues in open ocean fisheries) lists the main mitigation issues in open ocean pelagic fisheries: By-catch of non target species. Pelagic longliners are known to produce a large quantity of by-catch including non commercial and protected species. Even if their quantities are a lot lower, by-catch discarded by FAD purse seiners fisheries is of increasing concern, especially on sharks and turtles. Reducing these by-catches is of primary importance to reduce the impacts of these two major large pelagic fisheries on the pelagic ecosystem. Catch of undersized target species. Longliners targeting swordfish (Atlantic ocean and Mediterranean Sea) catch a significant amount of juvenile individuals (< 25 kg) which has been identified as a risk for this species. Purse seiners fishing around FADs mainly catch skipjack tuna, but also a large quantity of juvenile bigeye and yellowfin tuna, which cause major concerns for tuna commissions (Fonteneau et al. 2000). Habitat modification/spatial issues. Thousands of drifting FADs are regularly deployed by purse seiners on all the tropical oceans. The effects (positive and negative) of these FADs on the behaviour and biology of pelagic species are unknown. Also, pelagic fisheries (especially longline) might be targeting areas of critical ecological relevance for populations of by-catch species, but baseline biological data on some species and an in-depth spatial analysis is still lacking. It is necessary to achieve an objective, scientifically supported perspective on these topics in order to determine if mitigation measures are necessary, and which are the most appropriate. These mitigation issues generate interactions problems between fisheries. Some examples are listed below: • Is there an impact of purse seiners catch of juvenile bigeye and yellowfin tuna (which are of low value) on high-value catch of adult bigeye and yellowfin tuna by longliners? • Are there interactions between purse seiners using drifting FADs and artisanal fisheries of regional tropical countries using moored FADs? The answers to these questions deserve specific research projects on impacts of pelagic fisheries on the ecosystem. Target species of these fisheries (mainly tropical tuna, billfish)
12 are managed by international tuna commissions, such as IOTC (Indian Ocean), ICCAT (Atlantic Ocean), IATTC (Eastern Pacific Ocean), and WCPFC (Western and Central Pacific Ocean). These commissions need integrated information and proposals to mitigate the adverse impacts of these fisheries, and this was also a major reason for the fisheries joining under this proposal (see letter of support from IOTC at the end of Part B).
PELAGIC LONGLINES Longline fisheries The pelagic longline is defined as a series of baited hooks regularly attached to a mainline suspended from buoys close to the sea surface. It is defined as a passive fishing method because, in general, the encounter between the gear and fish results from the fish movements towards the gear. Pelagic longlining is one of the main fish-capture techniques targeting tuna (bluefin, bigeye, yellowfin, albacore) and the main one for the highly valuable (but fully exploited) swordfish. The introduction of the monofilament line and other mechanical improvements (hydraulic powered reel, line shooter) facilitates setting, hauling and gearing of the longline. Moreover, this new material (monofilament mainline and leaders) improved catch rates (Stone and Dixon, 2001) of deeply modified longline fisheries around the world. One longline can deploy more than 3000 hooks along a distance of 80 nautical miles and it takes place in all oceans. Thus, plenty of developing countries and island regions created their own longline fleets around the world. Moreover, some of these coastal states developed their fleet by chartering “flag of convenience” vessels and the fishing effort by traditional longline countries started to decline. This period corresponded to the growing exploitation of the swordfish. In general, these new fleets are composed with small boats being active close to their port of registry. Thus, local longline fisheries are targeting swordfish and tuna in near-coastal areas where large pelagic biodiversity is higher than those observed in the open ocean (Worm et al., 2003, 2005). Tuna captures from longlining started to show a significant increase at the end of the 1950s and increased slowly until 1993, and thereafter have been declining. The level of capture in 2000 was about 0.65 million of tons. Since 1950 to 1990, catches were almost exclusively by longliners of Asian countries targeting yellowfin, bigeye and albacore tuna (Miyake et al., 2004). More than half of swordfish captures around the world are taken as by-catch of distant-water longliners targeting tuna (Ward et al., 2000). However, the recent increase of swordfish captures came from the development of small-scale longliner fleets targeting swordfish during night-time. For that, fishers use expensive baits and light sticks (chemically luminescent cylinders) that attract natural prey of swordfish. These modifications of the longline metier contributed to sharp increases of swordfish captures in all the oceans.
Pelagic longlining and incidental catches Among the huge variety of fishing gears and fishing practices, the pelagic longline suffers from its non-selectivity according to both fish size and species (Bjordal and Løkkeborg, 1996; Marin et al., 1998; Kelleher, 2005). The lack of selectivity of pelagic longlining is not a new problem. Due to the level of its incidental removals from the marine megafauna, it has become a crucial issue linked to new fisheries management perspectives (Dobrzynski et al., 2003; Hall and Mainprize 2005). Pelagic longline is a fishing gear considered as the worst in terms of responsible fishing. Longlines are indiscriminate, catching different sizes and species on the same fishing operation, making it difficult for fishery managers and fishers themselves to distinguish between “target” and “non target” catches. For that, some organizations have classified longline as “an underwater minefield”. In the Kelleher’s study of discards in the world’s marine fisheries (Kelleher, 2005), for an average of 1.4 millions of tons of landings in the
13 world per year, discards are estimated at a level of 0.56 millions of tons. Knowing that landings include non targeted species, the average rate of by-catch in longline fisheries could reach at least 50%. For example, in 1993, longliners targeting swordfish in the Northwest Atlantic, blue shark discards were twice the catch of swordfish (Hinman, 1998). It is difficult to estimate global by-catch at the scale of a longline fishery as by-catch depend on the fishing strategy: maximum targeted depth, soaking time, fishing period, bait type, fishing area, etc. (Boggs, 1992; Nakano et al., 1997; Musyl et al., 2003). By-catch data are sparse and our understanding of the demography of the affected populations is often rudimentary (Lewison et al., 2004). However, several studies have clearly shown the dramatic impact of longlining on the marine megafauna being depleted even if it is not the intended target of the hooks. This is the case for turtles and sharks as incidental catches and swordfish as target species. The link between megafauna and its sensitivity to indirect exploitation lies within life-history characteristics (long lifespan, mature late in life and low reproductive output). Sea turtles are a regular by-catch in longlining (Gilman et al., 2005). Six of the seven extant turtles populations worldwide are listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (http://www.redlist.org). Turtle mortality in pelagic longlining worldwide poses a priority threat to sea turtles. Thus, sea turtle is the megafauna group for which intensive research experiments have been done to reduce their interaction with baited hooks (Marcovaldi et al., 2002, Almeida et al., 2000; Gilman et al., 2006; Swimmer et al. 2006, http://www.seaturtle.org/, http://bycatch.env.duke.edu, http://www.projetotamar.org.br/ingles/). Sharks also represent a major by-catch in longlining. Exploitation of sharks has intensified worldwide in the recent decades because of inflation in demand for shark fins and meat. Among sharks, the blue shark represent a large component on the shark fin market in Hong Kong resulting from the fact that this species forms a large proportion of the by-catch in pelagic longline fisheries targeting tuna and swordfish (Clarke et al., 2006). Many shark populations have shown evidence of decline (Musick et al., 2000; Baum et al., 2003). Three shark species have a high occurrence in pelagic longlining (blue shark, Prionace glauca; silky shark, Carcharhinus falciformis, oceanic whitetip, Carcharhinus longimanus). The blue shark is among the most abundant, widespread, fecund and faster growing of the elasmobranchs. It is the most heavily fished sharks in the world. The annual fisheries mortality (mainly incidental mortality) is estimated at 10 to 20 million individuals. This impact of fisheries is likely to be having an effect on the world population but both survey data and statistics are inadequate to assess the scale of population declines (Stevens, J. 2000. Prionace glauca. In: IUCN 2006. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
14 be susceptible to over-exploitation as for better known carcharhinids (Bonfil, R. 2000. Carcharhinus falciformis. In: IUCN 2006. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
15 Innovation and tests Action Reference z Bird scaring lines Alexander et al., 1997 z Line shooter / Setting funnel Reduce contact between Matsen, 1997 seabirds and baited hooks z Weighted branchlines Løkkeborg, 1998, 2003 while setting z Setting at night Brothers et al., 1999 z Blue-dyed bait Gilman, 2001
Ryan & Watkins, 2002 Løkkegorg & Robertson, 2002 Gilman et al., 2007 Hook shape and size : Da Silva, 2000 z Non-offset 18/0 circle hook Bolten & Bjordal, 2002, 2003, with squid 2004 z 10° offset 18/0 circle hook Garrison, 2003 with squid Løkkeborg S., 2004 z 10° offset 18/0 circle hook Watson et al., 2005 with mackerel Gilman et al., 2006 z 10° offset 20/0 circle hook with mackerel Read, 2007 Reduce sea turtle hooking z 20°-25° offset 9/0 J hook Kleiber & Boggs, 2000 Reduce frequency of deeply with mackerel ingestion of hooks and mortality Boggs, 2004 z Non-offset 9/0 J hooks after hooking due to gut Beverly & Robinson, 2004 perforation Offset 9/0 J hooks Wang et al., 2007 z Non-offset 16/0 circle hooks z Offset 16/0 circle hooks z Non-offset 18/0 circle hooks z Japanese tuna hooks
Others : z Blue-dyed squid bait z Deep day versus shallow night setting z Avoiding fishing grounds z Shark silhouette z Lightsitck z Wire versus monofilament Yokota et al., 2006 leaders Williams, 1997 z Circle versus tuna hooks Musick et al., 2000 z Deep set versus shallow set Gilman et al., 2007
z Reducing shark detection of
16 baited hooks(*) z Line material or type of bait Decrease catch rate of pelagic (*) sharks z Avoiding discards of scraps and offal of capture (*) z Semiochemical-based deterrents (**) z Electropositive metal repellents (**)
(*) suggested but not tested on field (**) Results mentioned on the SharkDefense LLC website (http://sharkdefense.com) These different tests allowed scientists involved in researches on mitigation measures in pelagic longlining to confirm that much progress has been made to significantly reduce seabird and turtle by-catch: • mitigation measures to reduce seabird interactions in longlining were significant enough to be deployed routinely by fishers, • circle hooks had a significantly lower capture rate by throat/stomach hooking offering a potentially effective way of reducing post-capture sea turtle mortality. However, due to variations in fishing practices and the complexity of the capture process, circle hooks should be field tested in a rigorous experiment framework before their wide deployment in any fishery (Read, 2007). However, little progress has been made to reduce shark interactions and undersized swordfish capture in longline fisheries. If additional results are still to be obtained for turtles, then, urgent studies are needed for sharks (mainly blue shark) and swordfish. Proposal of actions to mitigate adverse impacts in pelagic longline fisheries targeting swordfish 1 – Study survivorship and movements of sharks (blue shark and oceanic whitetip) and juveniles of swordfish Through the use of pop-up satellite archival transmitters (PSATs) we plan to study movements (vertical and horizontal) of individuals. Vertical movements will be analysed in order to define fishing strategies (fishing period, soaking time) that can reduce interactions between by-catch species and gear. This approach will be extended to large-scale (horizontal) migration and residency to identify areas of ecological relevance for these species and the degree of overlap with the fisheries. Six different field sites will be studied in order to benefit from the comparative approach. The use of pop-up satellite archival transmitters will also allow estimation of survivorship of blue shark and oceanic whitetip shark post-released from longline fishing gear. PSATs are currently in use for similar purposes under separate funded innitiatives (Brazil, Azores) focusing sea turtles and these data will be used, together with those from other studies, to define knowledge gaps for this by-catch. 2 – Study fishing strategy and practices Generally, commercial longline fishing operations targeting swordfish start at dusk and retrievals start at dawn. These strategies will be tested on field from monitored (hook timer, temperature depth recorder) longline fishing experiments. Results obtained previously regarding bycatch mitigation effects will be applied. Thus, fishing experiments will be
17 realized by using circle hooks. Non-offset and offset 16/0 and 18/0 circle hooks will be used in this context. Following Read’s (2007) recommendations, these monitored fishing experiments will give additional results in a rigorous trial framework (controlled fishing period and soak time, analyses taking into account the effective and not only the nominal fishing effort) regarding sea turtles interactions. These fishing experiments will take place in the same 6 field sites than adopted for the study of the behaviour of sharks and juvenile swordfish. 3 – Development and test of an “ecological based artificial bait (EBAB)” The idea of artificial bait is not novel. Artificial baits make use of scrap and offal of capture, and provide new utilisation of fish transformation. The interest in our project is to find artificial bait that will also reduce by-catch, through two ways: • size of the bait. Size of bait could be a good way to reduce some by-catch, but large baits are often difficult to obtain in some areas. • deterrent and repellent inserted in the artificial bait, to reduce catch of sharks and turtles.
PURSE SEINERS AND FISH AGGREGATING DEVICES Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) are floating objects used by fishers in order to attract pelagic fish and catch them. These FADs can be natural (e.g. logs) or artificial (e.g. rafts fabricated by fishers). One purse seiner can have from 20 to 100 FADs in activity at a single moment. This results in thousands of drifting FADs deployed in all the tropical oceans by the tuna purse seine fisheries, and half of the world catch of tuna are captured around those FADs (Fonteneau et al. 2000). Therefore, drifting FADs have become an essential tool in the fishing strategy of fishers. Artisanal fishers also anchor buoys or rafts near their coasts to get access to the pelagic fish resources. It mainly concerns developing countries of the tropical oceans targeting tropical tuna, billfish, dolphinfish, and Mediterranean countries, mainly targeting dolphinfish. First of all, this associative behaviour certainly emerged through evolutionary processes, providing advantages to these species. If some small fish use FADs as shelters from predators, the reasons for which other species such as tuna aggregate around FADs are still unknown. Fréon and Dagorn (2000) and Castro et al. (2002) reviewed the different hypotheses, but none of them could be demonstrated so far. The major hypotheses advanced by scientists to explain why pelagic fish aggregate under FADs are the following ones: • Shelter from predator: The object can be used by the prey as a refuge. • Concentration of food supply: A floating object aggregates prey in its close vicinity on which large fish could feed. • Indicator log: Natural floating objects are often indicators of productive areas. • Spatial orientation: Floating objects could provide spatial references around which fish can orient in the otherwise unstructured pelagic environment. • Meeting point: Tuna can make use of floating objects to increase the encounter rate between isolated individuals or small schools and other schools, to form larger schools. These hypotheses can be applied to one or more species, but none of them is exclusive (several hypotheses can explain the same aggregative behaviour).
18 By-catch issues in FAD fisheries The use of FADs has revolutionized oceanic fisheries for tropical tuna but its broader impacts on both target and associated species are of increasing concern for fisheries management. More than 40 species can be found around a FAD (Romanov, 2002). If the biomass of by- catch (non tuna species) is relatively low as compared to target species (3-5% in Romanov 2002), two appear as key species to avoid because of their life history characteristics: sharks (mainly silky sharks Carcharhinus falciformis), which represent the main non tuna by-catch species, and turtles, which are protected by law. The second main characteristic of this fishing strategy (as compared to fishing on free-swimming schools) is that tuna associated with FADs are primarily of small sizes (mode at 50 cm fork length). Catch of juvenile yellowfin and bigeye tuna has been a source of serious concern in all international tuna commissions (IOTC, ICCAT, IATTC, WCPFC) for years, with two main concerns (Fonteneau et al. 2000): first a short-term risk to reduce the yield per recruit, and second, a risk to face in the future a recruitment overfishing due to the FAD catches. Some mitigation measures have been studied and tested in this fishery. The most famous one is the FAD moratorium adopted in the late 90’s in the Atlantic and Indian oceans, with the objective of reducing the amount of juvenile bigeye tuna caught around FADs. However, the outcome of such moratorium has not been completely assessed. In addition, European observers programs currently exist in the Atlantic and Indian oceans to monitor the amount of by-catch in purse seine FAD fisheries. There is therefore a need to understand the reasons for these by-catches and conduct studies (i) to significantly reduce catch of sharks and turtles around FADs, and (ii) to reduce catch of juvenile tuna (mainly bigeye) around FADs. The project proposes to conduct several activities to achieve these objectives: • Design and test technical solutions to reduce catches of sharks while setting around FADs • Design and test ‘ecological’ FADs which would reduce entanglement of turtles in FADs • Identification of areas/seasons with higher rates of by-catch, in order to investigate effects of spatial measures • Improve remote information on the composition of fish aggregations from instrumented buoys used by fishermen • Improve knowledge on the biology of silky sharks The first three activities will concentrate a great part of the Project effort on mitigation issues for purse seiners fisheries, as they can contribute to immediate mitigation measures. The 4th point will contribute to help fishers determining the amount of by-catch before reaching the FAD (through instrumented FADs). The 5th point is fundamental research that might not provide direct applicable measures by the end of MADE. Effects of FADs on the behaviour of fish More than the determinisms of this striking behaviour, studying the effects of FADs on the behaviour of fish is of primary importance, and is required by all tuna commissions. Unfortunately, the behaviour of fish around FADs is poorly known and this lack of knowledge does not allow scientists to estimate if the release of FADs impacts the behaviour and ecology of fish. Most behavioural studies were done on moored FADs (Dempster and Taquet 2004), mainly due to the fact that they are easier to access. Some results on moored FADs concern the estimate of attraction distance - about 10 km for yellowfin tuna (Girard et al. 2004) - and the estimate of residence times of fish around FADs - of the order of one week for yellowfin and bigeye tuna, but with a large variability (Ohta and Kakuma 2005; Dagorn et al. 2007). Dagorn et al. (2007) observed yellowfin tuna showing a record of 64 continuous days around
19 a single moored FAD, and fish staying in a network of moored FADs up to 150 days in Hawaii (U.S.A.). How is it around drifting FADs? Unfortunately, information on drifting FADs is very scarce. The European project named FADIO (Fish Aggregating Devices as Instrumented Observatories of pelagic ecosystems, 5th FP, www.fadio.ird.fr) was conducted to develop new instruments and methods to facilitate the observation of fish around FADs. First residence times of fish around drifting FADs were measured, but they are preliminary data. The project contributed to the development of a satellite-linked acoustic receiver (Vemco VR3-Argos) that enables to measure the residence times of fish around FADs and to send data via satellites. This was a necessary tool as FADs can drift hundreds of miles away from any land, and physical recovery of units is usually impossible, which precluded from recovering data with previous technologies (as demonstrated in tests performed in FADIO). FADIO developed other types of instruments, including a pH transmitter that allows to study the feeding rhythms of pelagic animals such as sharks (Papastamatiou et al. 2007). Knowledge on the feeding behaviour (including diet and feeding rhythms) can help interpreting the residence times of different species around FADs, as species feeding on prey associated to FADs might stay longer around a FAD than others. So far, yellowfin tuna concentrated most of diet studies, revealing that they do not feed on FAD-associated organisms (Ménard et al. 2000; Graham et al. 2007), but we expect to have different behaviours while considering other types of predators (e.g. sharks). In this project, we propose to study the effects of FADs on fish behaviour through several approaches: • Measure residence times of tropical tuna and silky sharks (as well as some other by- catch species if possible) around drifting FADs, and meso- to large-scale movements when fish leave a FAD array. • Analyze trajectories of commercial FADs with information on visits performed at different intervals on them (with or without associated catches) by fishers, in order to study any pattern between fish aggregations and environment. • Assess the effects of different densities of FADs on fish behaviour through simulations of a behavioural model, tagging data from projects on moored FADs (projects funded by the Pelagic Fisheries Research Program, Hawaii, U.S.A.), and empirical data collected from fishers.
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20 Bjordal, Å. and Løkkeborg, S.1996. Longlining. Fishing New Books. University Press, Cambridge, 156pp. Boggs, C.H. Depth, capture time, and hooked longevity of longline-caught pelagic fish: timing bites of fish with chips 1992 Fishery Bulletin 90 (4), pp. 642-658 Bolten A., K. Bjorndal, 2002 – Experiment to evaluate gear modification on rates of sea turtle bycatch in the swordfish longline fishery in the Azores. Final Project Report submitted to the U.S. NMFS. Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA. Bolten A., K. Bjorndal, 2003 – Experiment to evaluate gear modification on rates of sea turtle bycatch in the swordfish longline fishery in the Azores – Phase 2. Final Project Report submitted to the U.S. NMFS. Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA. Bolten A., K. Bjorndal, 2004 – Experiment to evaluate gear modification on rates of sea turtle bycatch in the swordfish longline fishery in the Azores – Phase 3. Final Project Report submitted to the U.S. NMFS. Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA. Bonfil, R. 2000. Carcharhinus falciformis. In: IUCN 2006. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
21 Gilman E. , 2001 – Integrated management to address the incidental mortality of seabirds in longline fisheries. Aquat. Cons. Mar. Freshw. Ecosyst., 11 : 391 – 414. Gilman E., J.W. Watson, C. Boggs, S. Epperly, E. Zollett, S. Beverly, H. Nakano, Y. Swimmer, K. Davis, D. Shiode, P. Dalzell, I. Kinan, 2005 – Review of the state of knowledge for reducing sea turtle bycatch in pelagic longline gear.Western Pacific Regional fishery Management Council, 24 pp. www.wpcouncil.org. Gilman E., N. Brothers, D. Kobayashi, 2007 – Comparison of three seabird bycatch avoidance methods in Hawaii- based pelagic longline fisheries. Fish. Sci, 73 : 208 – 210. Gilman E., S. Clarke, N. Brothers, J. Alfaro-Shigueto, J. Mandelman, J. Mangel, S. Petersen, S. Piovano, N. Thomson, P. Dalzell, M. Donoso, M. Goren, T. Werner, 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. Gilman E.L, E. Zollet, S. Beverly, H. Nakano, K. Davis, D. Shiode, P. Dalzell, I. Kinan, 2006 – Reducing sea turtle by-catch in pelagic longline fisheries. Fish and Fisheries, 7: 2 – 23. Girard C, Benhamou S, Dagorn L (2004) FAD: Fish Aggregating Device or Fish Attracting Device? A new analysis of yellowfin tuna movements around floating objects. Anim Behav, 67:319-326 Graham B.S., Grubbs D., Holland K., Popp B.N., 2007, A rapid ontogenetic shift in the diet of juvenile yellowfin tuna from Hawaii. Mar. Biol. 150, 647-658 Greene, C.H., Pershing, A.J. Climate drives sea change. 2007 Science 315 (5815), pp. 1084-1085 Hall, M. A., D.L. Alverson, K.I. Metuzals, 2000. By-catch: Problems and solutions. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 41 (1- 6): 204 – 219. Hall, S.J. and Mainprize, B.M. 2005. Managing by-catch and discards: how much progress are we making and how can we do better? Fish and Fisheries, 6:134-155. Hazin H.G., F.H.V. Hazin, P. Travassos., 2002a. Influence of the type of longline on the catch rate and size composition of swordfish, Xiphias gladius (Linnaeus, 1758), in the southwestern Equatorial Atlantic Ocean. ICCAT, Collective Volume of Scientific Papers, Vol. 54, No 5: 1555-1559. Hazin H.G., F.H.V. Hazin, P. Travassos., 2002b. Analyse de la distribution de fréquence de taille des espadons (Xiphias gladius, Linnaeus 1758) capturés dans l'Atlantique sud-ouest équatorial. ICCAT, Collective Volume of Scientific Papers, Vol. 54, No 5: 1579-1585. Hinman K., 1998, Ocean roulette : Conserving swordfish, sharks and other threatened pelagic fish in longline- infested waters. National Coalition for Marine Conservation, 88 pp. ICCAT, 2006. Mediterranean Swordfish. In: International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), Report of the Standing Committee on Research and Statistics (SCRS) for biennial period 2004-05, pp. 115-119. Madrid, Spain. ICCAT., 2007. Mediterranean Swordfish. In: International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), Report of the Standing Committee on Research and Statistics (SCRS) for biennial period 2006-07, Part I (2006): in press. Javitech Limited, 2003 – Report on sea turtle interactions in the 2002 pelagic (offshore) longline fishery. Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada. Kaiser, M.J. (2000). The implications of the effects of fishing on non-target species and habitats, in: Kaiser, M.J.; de Groot, S.J. (2000). The effects of fishing on non-target species and habitats: biological, conservation and socio-economic issues. Fishing News Books, : pp. 383-392, Kelleher K., 2005, Discards in the world’s marine fisheries: an update. FAO Fish. Tech. Pap. n°470, Rome, FAO, 131 p. Kennely, S.J. 1999. The role of fisheries monitoring programmes in identifying and reducing problematic bycatches. In: Nolan, C.P. The international conference on integrated fisheries monitoring. Sydney NSW. FAO UN Rome 377pp. Kleiber P., C. Boggs, 2000 – Workshop on reducing sea turtle takes in longline fisheries. U.S. NMFS, Report H-00- 09, Honolulu, 16 pp. Lewison, R.L., Freeman, S.A., Crowder, L.B. Quantifying the effects of fisheries on threatened species: The impact of pelagic longlines on loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles. 2004 Ecology Letters 7 (3), pp. 221-231
22 Løkkeborg S., 1998 – Seabird by-catch and bait loss in long-lining using different setting methods. ICES J. Mar. Sci., 55 : 145 – 149. Løkkeborg S., 2003 – Review and evaluation of three mitigation measures – bird-scaring line, underwater setting and line shooter – to reduce seabird bycatch in the North Atlantic longline fishery. Fish. Res., 60 : 11 – 16. Løkkeborg S., 2004 – A review of existing and potential longline gear modifications to reduce sea turtle mortality. In : Papers presented at the Expert Consultation on interactions between sea turtles and fisheries within an Ecosystem Context, pp. 165 – 169. FAO Fisheries Report n° 738, Supplement, 238 pp. Løkkeborg S., G. Robertson, 2002 – Seabird and longline interactions: effects of a bird-scaring streamer line and line shooter on the incidental capture of northern fulmars Fumarus glacialis. Biol. Conserv., 104 : 127 – 131. Marcovaldi, M.A.; Thomé, J.C.; Sales, G.; Coelho, A.C.; Gallo, B.; Bellini, C., 2002. Brazilian Plan for Reduction of Incidental Sea Turtle Capture in Fisheries. Marine Turtle Newsletter, Wales, n.96, p. 24-25. Marin, Y.H., Brum, F., Barea, L.C. and Chocca, J.F.1998. Incidental catch associated with swordfish longline fisheries in the south-west Atlantic Ocean. Marine Freshwater Research, 49: 622-639. Marsac F, Fonteneau A, Ménard F (2000) Drifting FADs used in tuna fisheries: an ecological trap? In: Pêche thonière et dispositifs de concentration de poissons. Le Gall J.Y., Cayré P. Taquet M. (eds). Ed. Ifremer, Actes Colloq., 28: 36-54 Matsen B., 1997 – For the birds. National Fisherman January : 20 – 23. Ménard F., Stéquer B., Rubin A., Herrera M., Marchal E., 2000, Food consumption of tuna in the Equatorial Atlantic Ocean : FAD-associated versus unassociated schools. Aquat. Living Resour. 13 233-240. Miyake M.P., N. Miyabe, H. Nakano, 2004 – Historical trends of tuna catches in the world. FAO Fish. Tech. Pap n° 467, Rome, FAO, 74 p. Musick J.A., G.H. Burgess, M. Cambi, G. Cailliet, S. Fordham, 2000 – Management of sharks and their relatives (Elasmobranchii). Fisheries 25(3): 9 - 13. Musyl, M.K., Brill, R.W., Boggs, C.H., Curran, D.S., Kazama, T.K., Seki, M.P. Vertical movements of bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) associated with islands, buoys, and seamounts near the main Hawaiian Islands from archival tagging data 2003 Fisheries Oceanography 12 (3), pp. 152-169 Nakano, H., M. Okazaki, and H. Okamoto. 1997. Analysis of catch depth by species for tuna longline fishery based on catch by branch lines. Bulletin of the National Research Institute of Far Seas Fisheries 34:43-62. Ohta I, Kakuma S (2005) Periodic behavior and residence time of yellowfin and bigeye tuna associated with fish aggregating devices around Okinawa Islands, as identified with automated listening stations. Mar Biol 146: 581- 594 Papastamatiou Y.P., Meyer C.G., Holland K.N. 2007. A new acoustic pH transmitter for studying the feeding habits of free-ranging sharks. Aquatic Living Resources, in press. Read A., 2007 – Do circle hooks reduce the morality of sea turtles in pelagic longlines? A review of recent experiments. Romanov E.V. 2002. bycatch in the tuna purse-seine fisheries of rthe western Indian Ocean. Fish. Bull. 100(1): 90-105. Ryan P.G., B.P. Watkins, 2002 – Reducing incidental mortality of seabirds with an underwater longline setting funnel. Biol. Conserv. 104, 127 – 131. Stevens, J. 2000. Prionace glauca. In: IUCN 2006. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
23 Ward P., J M Porter, S Elscot, 2000 – Broadbill swordfish: status of established fisheries and lessons for developing fisheries. Fish and Fisheries, 1: 317 – 336. Watson J, D. Forster, S. Epperly, S. Shah, 2005 – Fishing methods to reduce sea turtle mortality associated with pelagic longlines. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci., 62 : 965 – 981. Williams, P.G., 1997 – Shark and related species catch in tuna fisheries of the tropical Western and Central Pacific Ocean. Prepared for the FAO 1998 meeting of the Technical Working Group on Sharks. Noumea, New Caledonia: South Pacific Commission, 22 pp. Worm B., H. K. Lotze, R. A. Myers, 2003 – Predator diversity hotspots in the blue ocean. PNAS, 100 (17): 9884 – 9888. Worm B., M. Sandow, A. Oschlies, H.K. Lotze, R. A. Myers, 2005 – Global patterns of predator diversity in the Open Oceans. Science, 309: 1365 – 1369. Yokota K., M. Kiyota, H. Minami, 2006 – Shark catch in a pelagic longline fishery: Comparison of circle and tuna hooks. Fish. Res., 81 : 337 – 341.
B1.3 S/T methodology and associated work plan
B1.3.1 Overall strategy and general description The work plan has been designed in order to achieve the objectives of MADE according to its main concepts. In particular, this consortium gathering countries from different areas (Indian and Atlantic oceans, Mediterranean Sea) has been created in order to take advantage (1) of different environments for behavioural studies, (2) of different fisheries situations for defining appropriate mitigation measures. The work plan is organised in 10 work packages (WPs) distributed in four modules: a module on project management, coordination and dissemination, a module on data collection, a module on prototypes, and a module on data integration (analysis and modelling). The module on project management, scientific coordination and dissemination (module 1) is composed of three WPs. A specific WP (WP1) is dedicated to the project management and WP2 addresses scientific coordination, to ensure a professional driving of the project and maximize efficiency. Because dissemination is a key activity in this project, a WP (WP3) is devoted to dissemination of results to fishers, international tuna commissions, EU DG Fisheries, scientists and public. The data collection module (module 2) is composed of one WP on collection of behavioural and environmental data (WP4) and one WP on collection of fisheries-related data (WP5). The objectives of these WPs are to feed WPs of the Data integration module. The prototypes module (module 3) concerns the development of new prototypes (WP6) and their testing (WP7). The module on Data integration - analysis and modelling (module 4) gathers three WPs addressing different mitigation issues in an integrated approach. WP8 corresponds to all issues related to spatial management, such as closure areas, MPAs, habitat modification, etc. WP9 deals with all measures to reduce by-catch of non-target species or catch of undersized target species. WP10 is a synthetic WP aiming at providing a synthetic view of the most appropriate mitigation measures, with technical solutions considering economic constraints.
24 Specific objectives of each WP are listed below: WP1 Project management • Ensure a professional driving of the project WP2 Scientific coordination • Coordinate scientific activities WP3 Dissemination • Disseminate results of the project to the public, fishers, DG Fisheries, tuna commissions, and scientists WP4 Behavioural and environmental data (Data Collection) • Collect scientific data: electronic tagging, experimental fishing, biological sampling • Database from other projects on acoustic tagging around FADs • Collect remote sensing data (environment) WP5 Fisheries-related data (Data collection) • Database on catch/effort and observers data • Collect economic data on fisheries • Collect empirical knowledge of fishers WP6 Development of prototypes • Develop new fisheries technologies WP7 Tests of prototypes • Test technologies developed in the project WP8 Spatial management • Identification of areas with high rates of by-catch • In-depth analysis of the moratorium on FADs • Effects of FADs on fish behaviour • Biology and ecology of sharks (ecological important habitat for these species) WP9 Reducing by-catch • Purse seiners & FADs: sharks and turtles • Longliners: sharks, turtles, juvenile swordfish WP10 Synthetic measures • Propose integrated mitigation measures for FAD fisheries, considering economic efficiency indicators • Propose integrated mitigation measures for pelagic longline fisheries, considering economic efficiency indicators • International workshop on mitigation measures for open ocean fisheries
25 B1.3.2 Timing of work packages and their components
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 WP1 Project management WP1.1 Financial and legal management WP1.2. Reporting WP2 Scientific coordination WP1.1 Communication WP1.2 Meetings WP3 Dissemination WP3.1 Public WP3.2 Fishers WP3.3 Tuna commissions and scientists WP4 Behavioural and environmental data WP4.1 Electronic tagging of fish WP4.1.1 Fish around FADs WP4.1.2 Sharks and juvenile swordfish WP4.1.3 Archived tagging data on FADs WP4.2 Biological sampling (pelagic sharks) WP4.3 Experimental longline settings WP4.4 Environmental data (remote sensing) WP5 Fisheries-related data WP5.1 Catch/effort and observers database (LL and FADs) WP5.2 Economic data WP5.3 FAD-related data from fishers WP6 Development of prototypes WP6.1 Design Ecological FADs WP6.2 Reducing catches of sharks at FADs WP6.2.1 Meeting with fishers WP6.2.2 Development of a prototype WP6.3 Develop a prototype of EBAB WP6.3.1 Meeting WP6.3.2 Reactions of captive animals to repulsives WP6.3.3 Development of a cast WP7 Tests of prototypes WP7.1 Test of ecological FADs WP7.2 Test the prototype/method to reduce catches of sharks (FADs) WP7.3 Test the prototype of EBAB (artificial bait) WP8 Spatial management WP8.1 Areas with high rates of by-catch WP8.1.1 Purse seiners & FADs WP8.1.2 Longlines WP8.2 In-depth analysis of the moratorium on FADs WP8.3 Effects of FADs on fish behaviour WP8.4 Biology and ecology of pelagic sharks WP9 Reducing by-catch WP9.1 Instrumented buoys in FAD fisheries WP9.1.1 Synthesis from previous mitigation measures WP9.1.2 Instrumented buoys WP9.1.3 Synthesis on methods to reduce FAD by-catch WP9.2 Longliners WP9.2.1 Synthesis from previous mitigation measures WP9.2.2 Behaviour of by-catch WP9.2.3 Fishing practices WP10 Synthetic measures WP10.1 Purse seiners & FADs WP10.2 Longliners WP10.3 International workshop on mitigation measures for pelagic fisheries
WP4: Because the recovering of archival and pop-up tags (WP4.1.1 & WP4.1.2) might happen months after the end of tagging operations, the project (WP4) will still collect data after month 24. Similarly, data from other tagging projects on FADs will be included for the analysis if they arrive after month 24 (WP4.1.3).
26 B1.3.3 Work package list/overview
Work Work package title Type of Lead Lead Person- Start End package activity participant participant months month month No No short name
1 Project management MGT 1 IRD 10 1 48
2 Scientific coordination RTD 1 IRD 18 1 48
3 Dissemination OTH. 11 FADG 14,5 1 48
4 Behavioural data RTD 1 IRD 54,32 1 24
5 Fisheries-related data RTD 4 AZTI 31,56 1 24
6 Development of RTD 8 RUN 56,29 1 30 prototypes
7 Tests of prototypes DEM 1 IRD 10,69 13 42
8 Spatial management RTD 12 IMAR-DOP 59,91 1 46
9 Reducing by-catch RTD 4 AZTI 31,61 1 42
10 Synthetic measures RTD 6 HCMR 21,01 37 48
TOTAL 307,89
27
B1.3.4 Deliverables list
Dissemi- Del. WP Delivery Deliverable name Nature nation no. no. date level D2.1 Minutes of Coordination meeting 2 R CO 2 D3.1 Project web site 3 O PU 6 D1.1 Progress report Year 1 1 R CO 12 D6.1 Design of Ecological FADs 6 R RE 12 D5.1 Database on catch/effort and observers data 5 O RE 18 Prototype/protocol to reduce/avoid catches of sharks from purse D6.2 6 P RE 18 seines D1.2 Progress report Year 2 1 R CO 24 D1.3 Project mid-term report 1 R CO 24 D4.1 Database on tagging data around FADs 4 O RE 24 D4.2 Database on tagging data from longliners 4 O RE 24 D4.3 Database on biological samples of pelagic sharks 4 O RE 24 D4.4 Database on experimental longline fishing 4 O RE 24 D4.5 Database on remote sensing data 4 O RE 24 D5.2 Database on economic data 5 O RE 24 D5.3 FAD-related data from fishers 5 O RE 24 D2.2 Minutes of Coordination meeting 2 R CO 25 D6.3 Prototype of an EBAB 6 P RE 30 D1.4 Progress report Year 3 1 R CO 36 D7.1 Test of Ecological FADs 7 R RE 36 D7.2 Fishing practices to reduce catches of sharks around FADs 7 R RE 36 D8.1 Areas with high rates of by-catch 8 R RE 36 D2.3 Minutes of Coordination meeting 2 R CO 37 D7.3 EBAB 7 R RE 42 D8.2 Effects of FADs on fish behaviour 8 R RE 42 D8.3 Biology of pelagic sharks 8 R RE 42 D9.1 Instrumented buoys 9 R RE 42 D9.2 Best fishing practices for FADs 9 R RE 42 D9.3 Best longline fishing practices 9 R RE 42 D10.1 Mitigation measures for FAD fisheries 10 R RE 48 D10.2 Mitigation measures for pelagic fisheries 10 R RE 48 International workshop on mitigation measures for open ocean D10.3 10 O RE 48 fisheries D3.2 Plan for the use and dissemination of foreground 3 R RE 48 D1.5 Progress report Year 4 1 R CO 48 D1.6 Project final report 1 R CO 48
28 B1.3.5 Work package description
Workpackage number WP1 Start date or Month 1 starting event: Workpackage title Project management Activity Type MGT Participant id 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
IRD SFA ULB AZTI AQUA HCMR UFRP RUN IFRE UM2 FADG IMAR- UPAT Participant short name E MER DOP
Person-months per participant 4 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5
Objectives • Assure a professional management of the project • Assure the achievement of objectives • Liaise with the European Commission regarding the project plan (costs and deadlines)
Description of work (possibly broken down into tasks), and role of participants WP1.1 Financial and legal management The Project management team will fulfil the administrative, financial and legal issues and give logistic support to the project. The tasks include without limitation: - establishing a good operating practice, including cost justifications, timing of required financial reports and data to be included - monitoring and collecting individual partner administrative documents and statements of expenditures, and transmission to the Commission. - keeping track record of payments to the partners - keeping a track record of all legal documents (grant agreement, consortium agreement, specific bi or multi lateral agreements between partners in relation to the project,…) - where necessary, preparing amendment to the grant agreement or consortium agreement, - providing needed legal support (secrecy agreement, access to data base,…) - interfacing with the Commission WP1.2 Reporting The tasks under 1.2 include without limitation: - preparing progress reports, mid-term report and final report - preparation and organization of the meetings
Deliverables (Brief description and month of delivery) D1.1 Progress report Year 1 - month 12 (R) D1.2 Progress report Year 2 - month 24 (R) D1.3 Project mid-term report – month 24 (R) D1.4 Progress report Year 3 – month 36 (R) D1.5 Progress report Year 4 – month 48 (R) D1.6 Project final report – month 48 (R)
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Workpackage number WP2 Start date or Month 1 starting event: Workpackage title Scientific coordination Activity Type RTD Participant id 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
IRD SFA ULB AZTI AQUA HCMR UFRP RUN IFRE UM2 FADG IMAR- UPAT Participant short name E MER DOP
Person-months per participant 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Objectives • Assure the coordination between the different partners and among the different activities of the project.
Description of work (possibly broken down into tasks), and role of participants WP2.1 Communication Because email is a major tool used by scientists to communicate, we decide to use this mean to ensure an optimal flow of communication within the consortium. When possible, other tools such as phone meetings, or visioconferences, will be used. The communication flow will be maintained at 2 levels. Each leader of WP will maintain a constant communication flow within members of his/her WP, through at least a WP communication event (email, phone, visioconference, etc.) every 3 months. The Project coordinator will ensure the same rhythm of communication flow among the Steering Committee (composed of one representative from each institute and the leaders of each WP), with a minimum of one communication event (email, phone meetings, visioconference, etc.) every 3 months. WP2.2 Meetings The coordination of the consortium of partners will need Project meetings with the participation of at least one member of each organisation. This consortium is strongly committed to reduce the CO2 emissions and therefore the numbers of physical meetings will be kept at minimum. For that reason, and because the time table of the activities allows for such organisation, only 3 Project meetings will be organized at month 1, month 24, month 36, with one workshop at month 46. All these meetings will share common objectives: discuss any difficulty that could occur in WP1 (Management) and WP2 (Scientific coordination), present progress of scientific activities done during the reporting period, and discuss the scientific activities for the following period. The Steering committee will meet at these occasions. However, each meeting will also have specific objectives: Month 1: Kick-off meeting. Identify persons who will constitute the Steering Committee of the Project. This meeting will launch the scientific activities of the project, mainly of module 2 (WP4 & 5) and module 3 (WP6 & 7). Month 24: Discuss results from module 2 (WP4 & 5) and prepare activities of module 4 (WP8, 9, 10). Discuss activities of module 3 (WP6 & 7). Month 36: Discuss results from module 3 (WP6 & 7), and discuss activities of module 4 (WP8, 9, 10), in particular, prepare international workshops (WP8.5 & WP10.3). Month 46: This will be a workshop to prepare the final report. This final meeting will be done before or after the international workshops scheduled during the last year (WP8.5 or
30 WP10.3) in order to avoid new travels, and will not necessarily require the edition of the minutes. If necessary, the Coordinator can provoke a meeting for the Steering Committee. Similarly, if necessary, each WP leader can plan internal meetings for the members of his/her WP, after discussion with the Project Coordinator.
Deliverables (Brief description and month of delivery) D2.1 Minutes of Coordination meeting – month 2 (R) D2.2 Minutes of Coordination meeting – month 25 (R) D2.3 Minutes of Coordination meeting – month 37 (R)
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Workpackage number WP3 Start date or Month 1 starting event: Workpackage title Dissemination Activity Type OTHER Participant id 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
IRD SFA ULB AZTI AQUA HCMR UFRP RUN IFRE UM2 FADG IMAR- UPAT Participant short name E MER DOP
Person-months per participant 3 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 1 0,5 0,5 0,5 6 0,5 0,5
Objectives • Dissemination of activities and results to public, fishers, tuna commissions and scientists.
Description of work (possibly broken down into tasks), and role of participants WP3.1. Public A specific, functional and attractive web site (which will take advantage of the future AQUARING semantic portal) will be produced the first year to describe the objectives, concept and approach of the project, sensitizing the public to these issues and the efforts devoted by the European Commission, scientists and fishers towards open ocean fisheries with minimal impacts on the ecosystem. We will produce a short video for the public at large and to bring this issue in some external fora, creating good opportunities for press releases. Leader is FADG, but all participants will provide materials for dissemination activities, and will achieve some local dissemination activities. WP3.2 Fishers Fishers will be a main target of dissemination activities. They will be associated to the Project from the beginning (se the Fisheries Committee in WP1), but the idea is to target a larger audience in the fisheries. We will produce leaflets in 6 languages (French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Greek, English) and produce a short video for fishers. Leader is FADG, but all participants linked to fisheries activities (IRD, SFA, AZTI, AQUA, HCMR, UFRPE, IFREMER, IMAR-DOP, UPAT) will provide materials for dissemination activities, and will disseminate results of the project to fishers. WP3.3 Tuna commissions and scientists We will regularly participate to meetings of international tuna commissions (mainly IOTC and ICCAT) to disseminate progress and results of the project, and liaise with DG Fisheries to link this research to the Common Fisheries Policy. All participants linked to fisheries activities (IRD, SFA, AZTI, AQUA, HCMR, UFRPE, IFREMER, IMAR-DOP, UPAT) and used to tuna commissions and DG Fisheries will participate to this action. A significant effort will be made to disseminate all scientific results in peer-reviewed journals. The involvement of the European Commission in this project will be demonstrated by adding the following sentence to each publication: “This study (report, paper, workshop…) has been carried out with financial support from the Commission of the European Communities, specific RTD programme of Framework Programme 7 ,“Theme 2-Food, Agriculture, Fisheries and Biotechnology", through the research project MADE (Mitigating adverse ecological impacts of open ocean fisheries). It does not necessarily reflect its views and in no way anticipates the Commission’s future policy in this area."
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Deliverables (Brief description and month of delivery) D3.1 Project web site (O) D3.2 Plan for the use and dissemination of foreground (R)
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Workpackage number WP4 Start date or Month 1 starting event: Workpackage title Behavioural data Activity Type RTD Participant id 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
IRD SFA ULB AZTI AQUA HCMR UFRP RUN IFRE UM2 FADG IMAR- UPAT Participant short name E MER DOP
Person-months per participant 8,75 4 6,95 6 6 6 3,25 8,37 5
Objectives • Collect scientific in situ data: electronic tagging, experimental fishing, biological sampling • Archived tagging data from other projects on FADs • Collect remote sensing data (environment)
Description of work (possibly broken down into tasks), and role of participants WP4.1 Electronic tagging of fish WP4.1.1 Fish around FADs Tuna and sharks captured around drifting FADs will be equipped with coded acoustic tags and their residence times around drifting FADs will be measured using acoustic receivers, e.g. the equipment and protocol developed and tested in the FADIO project. Individuals will be double tagged with pop-up satellite tags or archival tags (depending on the size of animals) to study scaling effects (using the same protocol as in the project of the Pelagic Fisheries Research Program: ‘Scaling-up’). Experiments will be conducted on FADs in the Western Indian Ocean, targeting about 30-40 silky sharks with pop-up tags and about 120-140 tuna with archival tags (all equipped with acoustic tags). Other associated species (such as dolphinfish, wahoo, triggerfish, etc.) might also be tagged (only with acoustic tags) to measure their residence times around FADs, continuing the effort started in FADIO on those other by-catch species. Echosounder buoys attached to FADs will be used, when possible, to provide indices of fish abundance around FADs and density of prey (Deep Scattering Layer), in order to examine if the residence times of fish could be related to fish biomass around FADs or to DSL density. Participants are IRD, SFA, AZTI, Ifremer. WP4.1.2 Sharks and juvenile swordfish Pelagic sharks (mainly blue sharks and other oceanic sharks) and juvenile swordfish will be equipped with pop-up satellite tags, for a total of approximately 80 tags in different sites of the Indian and Atlantic oceans, and the Mediterranean Sea. Participants are IRD, SFA, AQUA, HCMR, UFRPE, IMAR-DOP, UPAT. WP4.1.3 Archived tagging data on FADs A database will be done with acoustic tagging data from international projects on moored FADs: Hawaii (Pelagic Fisheries Research Program, completed), and others if they exist. IRD is the only participant, in collaboration with the University of Hawaii, co-responsible of these PFRP projects. WP4.2 Biological sampling (pelagic sharks) Parameters on growth, reproduction (life history straits) and diet will be collected from fishing vessels (longliners and purse seiners) on pelagic sharks. Samples for stable isotopes analyses will also be collected. Main target species will be silky sharks, blue sharks, oceanic
34 white tip sharks. Participants are IRD, SFA, AZTI, AQUA, HCMR, UFRPE, IFREMER, IMAR- DOP, UPAT. WP4.3 Experimental longline settings Monitored longline fishing experiments (hook timer, temperature depth recorders) will be performed in order to test the possibility of using different fishing periods, soaking times, hook shape and hook size to reduce by-catch of sharks, turtles, juvenile swordfish. Previous results obtained in projects devolved to mitigate capture of seabirds and sea turtles will be considered. For that, circle hooks will be used and effects of the offset and the size (16/0 versus 18/0) will be tested. Experiments will be done on different sites in the Indian ocean, Atlantic ocean, Mediterranean Sea. Participants are IRD, SFA, AQUA, HCMR, UFRPE, IMAR-DOP, UPAT. WP4.4 Environmental data (remote sensing) Remote sensing data on studied areas (Indian ocean, Atlantic ocean, Mediterranean Sea) will be collected to feed WP8 and WP9. Collection of data will occur during the phase of the biological data collection (WP4.1) but also during the phase of the data analysis (WP8) for analysis purposes. Participants are IRD, UFRPE.
Deliverables (Brief description and month of delivery) D4.1 Database on tagging data around FADs (O) D4.2 Database on tagging data from longliners (O) D4.3 Database on biological samples of pelagic sharks (O) D4.4 Database on experimental longline fishing (O) D4.5 Database on remote sensing data (O)
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Workpackage number WP5 Start date or Month 1 starting event: Workpackage title Fisheries-related data Activity Type RTD Participant id 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
IRD SFA ULB AZTI AQUA HCMR UFRP RUN IFRE UM2 FADG IMAR- UPAT Participant short name E MER DOP
Person-months per participant 3,25 2 5,43 3,5 4 3 6,38 4
Objectives • Database on catch/effort and observers data • Collect economic data on fisheries • Collect empirical knowledge of fishers
Description of work (possibly broken down into tasks), and role of participants WP5.1 Catch/effort and observers database (LL and FADs) Databases already exist on catch/effort and observers data for these fisheries and observer projects are still on-going in different areas where the project operates. This action will consist in making these databases usable by scientists of the project. Participants are IRD, SFA, AZTI, AQUA, HCMR, UFRPE, IMAR-DOP, UPAT. WP5.2 Economic data The objective is to collect data to estimate efficiency of different mitigation measures (WP9). The economic information required by an indicator system to measure efficiency is given by the following criteria and indicators: • Criteria: Economic efficiency; Harvest; Fish prices; Gross cash flow; Net profit; Employment; Effort; Fleet capacity; • Indicators: Value of landings; income; Prices by species; Variable costs (fuel; repair; maintenance); Crew costs including social costs; Fixed costs (depreciations; insurance; administration,…); Subsidies; Other indicators (Landings of fish by species; Effort measured in sea days or Kw-days; Employment on boards (in person or full time employment); Fleet capacity measured in number of vessels; GT and KW; Invested capital (insurance value, or market or replacement value)). Economic data on some Spanish purse seiners already exist. More data will be collected on purse seiners and pelagic longliners, in order to create a database that will help determining economic efficiency indicators (WP9). Participants are IRD, AZTI, AQUA, HCMR, UFRPE, IMAR- DOP, UPAT. WP5.3 FAD-related data from fishers One important outcome of the FADIO project was the development of working relationships with the European purse seine fleet in the Western Indian Ocean, which allowed extracting some valuable ecological information from the empirical knowledge of fishers (see Moreno et al. in press: Fish behaviour from fishers´ knowledge: the case study of tropical tuna around drifting fish aggregating devices (DFADs) – Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science). The objective is to improve this collaboration and associate fishers to this research. French and
36 Spanish skippers of tropical purse seiners will be interviewed in order to collect data and knowledge that are not in logbooks such as the types of FADs they use, their expertise on echosounder buoys (and data from such buoys), trajectories of FADs with information on catches/visits on these FADs. For Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK), we will use the same methodology as described in Moreno et al. (in press): interviews will be stopped when a demonstrated “saturation point” is reached and the sample size is presumed adequate. Participants are IRD, SFA, AZTI.
Deliverables (Brief description and month of delivery) D5.1 Database on catch/effort and observers data (O) D5.2 Database on economic data (O) D5.3 FAD-related data from fishers (O)
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Workpackage number WP6 Start date or Month 1 starting event: Workpackage title Development of prototypes Activity Type RTD Participant id 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
IRD SFA ULB AZTI AQUA HCMR UFRP RUN IFRE UM2 FADG IMAR- UPAT Participant short name E MER DOP
Person-months per participant 4,5 1 1 2,79 18 2 27
Objectives • Design ecological FADs • Develop methods to avoid catches of sharks by purse seiners • Develop an ecological-based artificial bait (EBAB)
Description of work (possibly broken down into tasks), and role of participants WP6.1 Design ecological FADs From fishers (WP5.3) and scientific knowledge, ecological FADs that do not provoke mortality of turtles and other animals will be designed. Economic constraints (availability and cost of materials) will be taken into account. Participants are IRD, SFA, Ifremer and AZTI. WP6.2 Reducing catches of sharks at FADs (prototype) WP6.2.1 Terms of reference (Meeting with fishers) Meetings will be held with fishers (purse seiners) in order to define with them the terms of reference of new methods/technologies to avoid catches of sharks from the seine. It appears that at least 2 categories of systems exist onboard purse seiners. Some “new” vessels sort tuna and bycatch onboard and have a special belt that releases bycatch back to the ocean. In that case, the problem will be to study the survival of sharks after this process (and after being in the seine). “Old” vessels (which represent the vast majority of the fleet) do not have such sorting system. Therefore, the idea consists in developing a small “window” in the seine which could easily be opened and closed to release sharks, after these ones are attracted to it (by releasing chemical attractants for instance). Therefore, it is important to define with fishers which technical issue should be addressed by the project to avoid (or at least reduce) catches of sharks, depending on the techniques currently used in the fleet and the techniques that are likely to be used in the fleet in the near future. Participants are IRD, Ifremer, AZTI, SFA, ULB. WP6.2.2 Development of a prototype and test to attract sharks This sub-WP is kept flexible as it depends on the results from WP6.2.1. It can consist in (i) developing a system to release sharks while they are in the seine (e.g. by attracting them to a “window” in the net that can be opened to release them), or (ii) developing a system onboard purse seiners to facilitate release of sharks (e.g. new belt), or (iii) another solution that can be defined during WP6.2.1. Participants are IRD, Ifremer, AZTI, SFA. WP6.3 Develop the prototype of EBAB (artificial bait) WP6.3.1 Meeting: terms of reference A meeting will be held in order to define the terms of reference of the development of “EBAB”: size and shape of the polymer mould, works on attractants and deterrents.
38 Participants are IRD, AZTI, RUN, UM2. WP6.3.2 Reactions of captive animals to attractant and deterrent In situ responses of targeted by-catch groups (sharks, sea turtles) in the project to both attractant and deterrent will be studied in La Réunion where the project has the opportunity to carry out experiments in the Sea Turtles farm Kelonia < http://www.kelonia.org/> and tanks and/or floating cages of the local aquaculture center ARDA < http://www.arda.fr/>. Participant is IRD. WP6.3.3 Development of a cast A cast will be developed from the results obtained from fishing experiments (hook size), attractant and deterrent tests, which will be attached and inserted in the mould. Participants are RUN, UM2.
Deliverables (Brief description and month of delivery) D6.1 Design of Ecological FADs (R) D6.2 Prototype/protocol to reduce/avoid catches of sharks from purse seines (P) D6.3 Prototype of an EBAB (P)
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Workpackage number WP7 Start date or Month 13 starting event: Workpackage title Tests of prototypes Activity Type DEM Participant id 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
IRD SFA ULB AZTI AQUA HCMR UFRP RUN IFRE UM2 FADG IMAR- UPAT Participant short name E MER DOP
Person-months per participant 4 1 2,69 1 1 1
Objectives • Test ecological FADs • Test the prototype and fishing practices to reduce catches of sharks from purse seines • Test the ecological-based artificial bait (EBAB)
Description of work (possibly broken down into tasks), and role of participants WP7.1 Test ecological FADs Ecological FADs designed in WP6.1 will be tested with the collaboration of fishers in order to examine if they reduce entanglement of turtles, while not affecting significantly catches of tuna. Participants are IRD, SFA, AZTI. WP7.2 Test the prototype/method to reduce catches of sharks (FADs) This sub-WP depends on the decision taken in WP6.2.1 (meetings with fishers), which also determines the actions of WP6.2.2. WP7.2 will consist in testing the technical solution adopted in WP6.2.1 and developed in WP6.2.2. Participants are IRD, Ifremer, AZTI, SFA. WP7.3 Test the prototype of EBAB (artificial bait) WP7.3.1 Tests on captive animals Video and other observation methods (if necessary) will be used to observe movements of animals and study their fine scale responses to attractants and deterrents. Participant is IRD. WP7.3.2 In situ tests The project will manufacture a number of 500 “EBAB” which will be deployed on longline according to fishing strategies targeting swordfish. A monitored longline (hook timer, temperature depth recorders) will be used to obtain precise results on hooking contacts and hooking success according to the fishing depth strata exploited. These tests will be made in La Réunion. Participants are IRD, RUN, UM2.
Deliverables (Brief description and month of delivery) D7.1 Test of Ecological FADs (R) D7.2 Fishing practices to reduce catches of sharks around FADs (R) D7.3 EBAB (R)
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Workpackage number WP8 Start date or Month 1 starting event: Workpackage title Spatial management Activity Type RTD Participant id 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
IRD SFA ULB AZTI AQUA HCMR UFRP RUN IFRE UM2 FADG IMAR- UPAT Participant short name E MER DOP
Person-months per participant 13,25 1,75 12 7,16 2,5 2 5 0,25 14 2
Objectives • Identification of areas with high rates of by-catch • In-depth analysis of the moratorium on FADs • Impacts of FADs on fish behaviour • Biology and ecology of pelagic sharks • International workshop on MPAs & closure areas in pelagic ecosystems
Description of work (possibly broken down into tasks), and role of participants WP8.1 Identification of areas with high rates of by-catch WP8.1.1 Purse seiners & FADs Data from WP5.1 will be analyzed to determine areas/seasons with high rates of by-catch from purse seiners using FADs in the Indian and Atlantic oceans, in order to investigate the effects of spatial measures (e.g. pelagic MPAs). Participants are IRD, AZTI. WP8.1.2 Longlines Data from WP5.1 will be analyzed to determine areas/seasons with high rates of by-catch from pelagic longliners in the Indian and Atlantic oceans, in order to investigate the effects of spatial measures (closure of areas, seasons for instance). Participants are IRD, AQUA, HCMR, UFRPE, IMAR-DOP, UPAT.
WP8.2 In-depth analysis of the moratorium on FADs Data from WP5.1, in particular from observers programmes during the moratorium, will be used to study the consequences of this measure in terms of tuna and by-catch populations. Participants are IRD, AZTI.
WP8.3 Effects of FADs on fish behaviour From acoustic tagging data (WP4.1.1), we will estimate residence times of tuna and sharks (and maybe other species) around FADs. Using biological samples of WP4.2 (mainly stomach contents and stable isotopes analyses from sharks), we will estimate the dependence of diet of sharks on prey associated to FADs, which can be used to interpret residence times. From data of pop-up and archival tags, we will observe meso- and large- scale movements after the fish leave the equipped FADs (or equipped FAD networks). Comparisons with drifts of the monitored FADs will be used to estimate if fish were linked to the original FAD network. Any relationships with environmental conditions (WP4.4) and fish biomass associated to FADs will be studied. Finally, data from instrumented buoys used by fishers (WP5.3) will be analysed with environmental data (WP4.4) to study any effect of environmental conditions on fish biomass aggregated around FADs. All these data will be used in a behavioural model (adapted from the one developed in
41 the FADIO project), along with data from previous tagging projects on moored FADs (WP4.1.3). The objective is to study the effects of different densities of FADs and the relative effects of FADs vs. environment on fish behaviour through simulations. All these results will constitute first tributes to study the effects of FADs on tuna movements and distribution, and therefore address the ecological trap hypothesis. This latter will not be solved completely in this study, but first trends should emerge to progress in estimating the impacts of FADs on fish behaviour. Participants are IRD, SFA, ULB, AZTI, IFREMER. WP8.4 Biology and ecology of pelagic sharks From data of WP4.2, we will study reproduction growth and diet of the main pelagic sharks exploited by purse seiners and longliners. Because stomachs of sharks are often empty (due to the feeding behaviour of these animals), we will also conduct analyses of stable isotopes. The stable isotope composition of an organism is dependant on its diet, its trophic level, but also on the isotopic signature at the base of the food web. Consequently, the stable isotope ratios of fish muscle tissues have the potential for investigating their foraging ecology and for locating areas of migratory pelagic species moving between isotopically distinct regions across ocean basins. Participants are IRD, SFA, AQUA, HCMR, UFRPE, IMAR-DOP, UPAT.
Deliverables (Brief description and month of delivery) D8.1 Areas with high rates of by-catch (R) D8.2 Effects of FADs on fish behaviour (R) D8.3 Biology of pelagic sharks (R)
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Workpackage number WP9 Start date or Month 1 starting event: Workpackage title Reducing by-catch Activity Type RTD Participant id 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
IRD SFA ULB AZTI AQUA HCMR UFRP RUN IFRE UM2 FADG IMAR- UPAT Participant short name E MER DOP
Person-months per participant 6 1,5 1 4,49 3,5 4 3 0,25 3,87 4
Objectives • Reduce catches by purse seiners and FADs on sharks and turtles • Reduce catches by longliners on sharks and juvenile swordfish (while reducing catches of turtles and seabirds)
Description of work (possibly broken down into tasks), and role of participants WP9.1 Purse seiners & FADs WP9.1.1 Synthesis from previous mitigation projects A review will be done to provide a complete synthesis on results of previous mitigation projects done in the world to reduce by-catch of purse seiners using FADs. Participants are IRD, SFA, AZTI, Ifremer. WP9.1.2 Instrumented buoys The FADIO project developed a sophisticated sonar buoy to estimate fish biomass around FADs. This buoy is adapted for very precise experiments, but cannot be used in large- scale projects due to its costs. Fishers already use buoys with echosounders, with less precision, but which are cheaper and more adapted to large-scale studies. One objective of this WP is to continue the FADIO objectives and analyze data from these fishers’ buoys (collected in WP4.3) and examine if there is a potential to extract some indicators of biomass and composition of aggregations from these buoys. The objective is to examine if they could be used to help determine the biomass of by-catch around FADs in remote areas, in order to help spatial strategy of fishers to avoid these by-catches. Participants are IRD and AZTI. WP9.1.3 Synthesis on methods to reduce FAD by-catch A synthesis from the ecological FADs (WP5.1 & WP6.1) and the methods to reduce catches of sharks (WP5.2 & WP6.2) and turtles will be done to define appropriate fishing practices to reduce catches of these species. Participants are IRD, SFA, AZTI, Ifremer. WP9.2 Longliners WP9.2.1 Synthesis from previous projects on mitigation measures on longlines (seabirds, turtles) A review will be done to provide a complete synthesis on results of previous mitigation projects done in the world to reduce by-catch of seabirds, turtles and other species by longliners. Participants are IRD, AQUA, HCMR, UFRPE, IMAR-DOP, UPAT. WP9.2.2 Behaviour of by-catch species Data from WP3.1, WP3.3 and WP4.1 (vertical movements, capture time, capture depth, hooking responses according to hook size) will be analysed to discrimate factors of the fishing strategy that should be able to reduce significantly the by-catch of species or group of species considered in the project. Participants are IRD, SFA, AQUA, HCMR,
43 UFRPE, IMAR-DOP, UPAT. WP9.2.3 Fishing practices Results of WP8.2.2 will be used along with analyses of experimental fishing (WP3.3) to propose fishing protocols (gear depth, fishing period, soaking time, hook size) as mitigation measures. Participants are IRD, SFA, AQUA, HCMR, UFRPE, IMAR-DOP, UPAT.
Deliverables (Brief description and month of delivery) D9.1 Instrumented buoys (R) D9.2 Best fishing practices for FADs (R) D9.3 Best longline fishing practices (R)
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Workpackage number WP10 Start date or Month 37 starting event: Workpackage title Synthetic measures Activity Type RTD
Participant number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
IRD SFA ULB AZTI AQUA HCMR UFRP RUN IFRE UM2 FADG IMAR- UPAT Participant short name E MER DOP
Person-months per participant 5 1 2,38 2 3 2 0,25 3,38 2
Objectives • Propose integrated mitigation measures for FAD fisheries • Propose integrated mitigation measures for pelagic longline fisheries
Description of work (possibly broken down into tasks), and role of participants WP10.1 FAD fisheries From results of WP8 and WP9, we will propose synthetic mitigation measures for FAD fisheries. These measures must consider new knowledge on fish behaviour, reasons for by-catches, capacity to monitor fishing activities (including FAD designs and deployments), technological improvements (use of instrumented buoys, new gear). These measures will be studied through economic efficiency indicators. We will examine how various measures to mitigate adverse impacts together with the fisheries characteristics help economic efficiency improved. Economic efficiency of fisheries can be assessed in terms of several performance indicators within a so called indicator system. In order to build an indicator system the next steps will be followed: • Define the criteria to use for assessment of economic efficiency; • Identification of indicators; • identification of reference points; • interpretation (perhaps by means of a DPSIR framework). It is important to consider economic efficiency for two main reasons: ¾ a new mitigation measure not only would safeguard the fish stocks, but also, it should provide highly economic effects. In this sense, it is possible to propose inefficient measures able to safeguard resources under undesirable economic effects. This could be a “myopic” measure, and in this sense it is argued that a multidisciplinary analysis is more appropriate. This is an efficiency measure in “absolute” terms. ¾ Between two different mitigation measures; it is possible to identify which one is more economic efficient; that is, it is an efficiency measure in “relative” terms. Thus, the specific economic objective within this project would be the identification of economic efficiency indicators and their assessment, through which analysing the impact of various mitigation measures. With this aim, several reference points will be considered, such as: The Net Present Value (NPV); The return on Investment (ROI); the Operating Profit Margin (OPM); the Break Even Revenue (BER). The choice and estimation of the reference points will provide an economic decision rule for ranking the mitigation measures. Even if activities are focused on drifting FADs and tropical purse seiners, an effort will be made to transfer knowledge to countries exploiting moored FADs with artisanal fisheries (developing tropical countries, Mediterranean countries). Participants are IRD, SFA, AZTI, IFREMER.
45 WP10.2 Longline fisheries From results of WP8 and WP9, we will propose synthetic mitigation measures for pelagic longline fisheries. These measures must consider new knowledge on pelagic animals behaviour, reasons for by-catches, capacity to monitor fishing activities, technological improvements (including artificial bait, fishing strategy). These measures will be studied through economic efficiency indicators, in order to examine measures that will support a viable commercial exploitation of fish resources. See WP9.1 for details of the economic approach in this project, as the same methodology will be applied to purse seiners and longliners. Participants are IRD, SFA, AQUA, HCMR, UFRPE, IMAR-DOP, UPAT. WP10.3 International workshop on mitigation measures for open ocean fisheries An international workshop gathering international experts, tuna commissions, fishery managers, NGOs will be held to expose and discuss mitigation measures for open ocean fisheries, including spatial (e.g. pelagic MPAs) and technological (e.g. modifications of fishing gear) measures. All participants of the consortium will participate.
Deliverables (Brief description and month of delivery) D10.1 Mitigation measures for FAD fisheries (R) D10.2 Mitigation measures for pelagic longline fisheries (R) D10.3 International workshop on mitigation measures for open ocean fisheries (O)
46 B.1.3.6 Efforts for the full duration of the project Project Effort Form 1 - Indicative efforts per beneficiary per WP
Participant WP1 WP2 WP3 WP4 WP5 WP6 WP7 WP8 WP9 WP10 Total no./short person name months
1- IRD 4 6 3 8,75 3,25 4,5 4 13,25 6 5 57,75 2- SFA 0,5 1 0,5 4 2 1 1 1,75 1,5 1 14,25 3- ULB 0,5 1 0,5 1 12 1 16 4- AZTI 0,5 1 0,5 6,95 5,43 2,79 2,69 7,16 4,49 2,38 33,89 5- AQUA 0,5 1 0,5 6 3,5 2,5 3,5 2 19,5 6- HCMR 0,5 1 0,5 6 4 2 4 3 21 7- UFRPE 0,5 1 0,5 6 3 5 3 2 21 8- RUN 0,5 1 0,5 18 1 21 9- IFREMER 0,5 1 0,5 3,25 2 1 0,25 0,25 0,25 9 10- UM2 0,5 1 0,5 27 1 30 11- FADG 0,5 1 6 7,5 12- IMAR- 0,5 1 0,5 8,37 6,38 14 3,87 3,38 38 DOP 13- UPAT 0,5 1 0,5 5 4 2 4 2 19 Total 10 18 14,5 54,32 31,56 56,29 10,69 59,91 31,61 21,01 307,89
47 Project Effort Form 2 - indicative efforts per activity type per beneficiary
5- 6- 7- 9- 10- 11- 12- 13- TOTAL 1- IRD 2- SFA 3- ULB 4- AZTI AQUA HCMR UFRPE 8- RUN IFREMER UM2 FADG IMARDOP UPAT ACTIVITIES RTD/Innovation activities WP2 Scientific 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 18 coordination WP4 Behavioural 8,75 4 6,95 6 6 6 3,25 8,37 5 54,32 Data WP5 Fisheries- 3,25 2 5,43 3,5 4 3 6,38 4 31,56 related Data WP6 Development of 4,5 1 1 2,79 18 2 27 56,29 prototypes WP8 Spatial 13,25 1,75 12 7,16 2,5 2 5 0,25 14 2 59,91 Management WP9 Reducing by- 6 1,5 1 4,49 3,5 4 3 0,25 3,87 4 31,61 catch WP10 Synthetic 5 1 2,38 2 3 2 0,25 3,38 2 21,01 measures Total 'research' 46,75 12,25 15 30,2 18,5 20 20 19 7 28 1 37 18 272,7
Demonstration
activities WP7 Tests of 4 1 2,69 1 1 1 10,69 prototypes Total 4 1 0 2,69 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 10,69 'demonstration'
Consortium management activities WP1 Project 4 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 10 Management Total 'management' 4 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 10
Other activities WP3 Dissemination 3 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 6 0,5 0,5 14,5 Total 'other' 3 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 6 0,5 0,5 14,5
TOTAL 57,75 14,25 16 33,89 19,5 21 21 21 9 30 7,5 38 19 307,89 BENEFICIARIES
48
B.1.3.7 List of milestones and planning of reviews
Milestone Milestone Work Expected date Means of number name package(s) verification involved M1 Ecological WP6 12 Design completed, FADs testable on the field M2 Reducing WP6 18 Prototype catches of completed, testable sharks in on the field purse seiners M3 Behavioural WP4 24 Field surveys data completed M4 Fisheries WP5 24 Databases usable related data by WP8 & WP9 M5 EBAB WP7 30 Prototype prototype completed, testable on the field M6 Mitigation WP10 48 Workshop workshop completed
49
Graphical presentation of the components showing their interdependencies
Data collection Prototypes
WP4 Behavioural WP5 Fisheries- WP6 Development data related data of prototypes
WP7 Tests of prototypes ent em
g ation n ific coordination t
ect mana j
WP3 Dissemi
WP1 Pro WP2 Scien WP8 Spatial management WP9 Reducing by-catch
WP10 Synthesis
Data analysis and modelling
50 B2 Implementation
B2.1 Management structure and procedures
In order to achieve the objectives of the Project, a module on project management, scientific coordination and dissemination (module 1) is created in order to clearly distinguish activities linked to the Project management (WP1), scientific coordination (WP2) and Dissemination (WP3) (WP3 will not be described here). This organisation structure of MADE is necessary to ensure a professional driving of the project and to realize an efficient scientific comparative approach (one of the main concept of the Project), with field experiments in different sites of the Indian ocean, Atlantic ocean and Mediterranean Sea. This approach requires a precise scientific coordination to design the experiments and follow their implementation so that all institutes adopt the same techniques and the same protocols. This will be possible through an excellent flow of information among participants, with close links with external experts and representative of fishing organizations. The management structure will ensure that all necessary logistics will be available to the consortium to realize the objectives. This organisation structure is based upon different groups with specific activities: • The Project Coordinator will ensure the whole scientific coordination of the project and will prepare needed scientific documents (among which the intermediate and final reports). He is the ultimate decision-making body of the Consortium. He will thus be the link between the Consortium and the European Commission. • The Steering Committee (SC) is composed by authorized representatives of all partners (including the Project Coordinator) and all responsibles of WP. The SC takes all decisions in relation to the project organisation, activity plan and budget. To achieve his objectives, the SC will be in close contact with 4 groups: the Management Team, the Consortium, External Experts, and the Fisheries Committee. • The Management Team will assist the Project Coordinator and the SC to fulfil the administrative, financial and legal issues and to give logistic support. It will comprise representatives of the legal, administrative and finance staff of each partner. The Management Team will not necessarily meet during the project (unless required by the Coordinator). • The Project consortium includes all the participants of the project. Each participant will execute a specific task (including reporting) within one or several WPs according to a specified time span for which he/she will get funding. • External experts (from and outside Europe) will be invited to annual meetings or additional workshops of the project to provide advice to the SC and to the Consortium, according to their experience on previous or current projects related to this topic. The project will not a priori identify a list of experts that will have to attend all meetings of the project, but will rather invite different experts depending on the type of advice that can be needed along the duration of the project. • The Fisheries Committee (FC) will be composed of representatives of fishing organizations involved in the project. The objective of this FC is to work closely with the SC to ensure a complete partnership between scientists and fishermen during the 4 years of the project. This committee will be divided into 2 groups: tropical tuna purse seiners (PS) and tropical longliners (LL). Because involvement and interests of these 2 groups are quite independent, there is no need that these 2 groups meet together. If the tropical tuna purse seiners are well organized in Europe (there is 3 associations of fleet owners: ORTHONGEL (FR), OPAGAC (SP) & ANABAC (SP), it is not the case for
51 the longliners involved in the project. Moreover, these longliners are located in 6 different sites in the project: La Réunion, Seychelles, Brazil, Azores, Italy and Greece. There is no special need to gather all representatives of longliners together, and organizing these meetings would necessitate additional funds for travels that are not available. Therefore, we will adopt the following plan for the FC: o A meeting between the members of the SC involved in purse seine fisheries and the PS group will be organized at the beginning of the project (e.g. around month 1) and at the mid-term (around month 24) o A meeting between members of the SC involved in longline research will be organized on each site involved in longline research (La Réunion, Seychelles, Azores, Brazil, Italy, Greece), at the beginning of the project (e.g. around month 1) and at the mid-term (around month 24). In addition to these meetings, a regular flow of communication will be maintained between the SC and the FC throughout the duration of the project. Participation of the FC to the International workshop on mitigation measures for pelagic fisheries will be strongly encouraged.
European Commission
Project Coordinator
Fisheries Steering Committee Management Committee Representatives of each Team (Administration and (Representatives of partner and leaders of WP fishing Finance) organizations)
Project consortium External scientific experts (all scientists of the project)
Graphical presentation of the organisational structure, decision making mechanisms, and communication flow
This consortium is strongly committed to reduce the CO2 emissions and therefore the numbers of physical meetings will be kept at minimum.
52 B2.2 Beneficiaries
Participant No 1 : Institut de recherche pour le développement (Coordinator) – IRD - France
Description of the organisation. The Institute for Development Research (http://www.ird.fr) is attached to both the French Ministries of Research and of Foreign Affairs. It is a not-for- profit government-funded public organisation whose general missions is to conduct research and research training with a view to promoting the economic, social and cultural development in the Southern countries. Research performed at IRD covers a wide range of fields and disciplines, with a special focus on the relationship between man and his environment in the tropical and Mediterranean countries. The aim of IRD is to respond to the major development challenges regarding the societies and human health, earth, environment and living resources, and to bring the fruits of research into sustainable development for the well-being of people. IRD consists of 79 research laboratories, located and operating jointly with academic partners in France, in the French overseas territories and in 35 countries of the tropical zone of the world. About 45% of the IRD work force of more than 2250 permanent staff works outside France. IRD has a budget of 180 M€. Among the different activities of the institute, 130 researchers and technicians are specifically working on the dynamics and uses of marine, coastal and freshwater aquatic ecosystems. Main tasks in the project. IRD will be the coordinator of the project, will participate to all WPs. IRD is also leader of WP 1, 2, 4, 7. Previous experience relevant to those tasks. The IRD personnel in this project gather a long experience in tropical pelagic fish (tuna, billfish and sharks), FADs, purse seiners and longliners in tropical oceans (Indian, Atlantic, Pacific). IRD was the coordinator of the European project FADIO (5th FP, QLRI-CT-2001-02773) on FADs in the Indian Ocean, and was or is involved in many European projects on tuna (BIOECO 93/05, ORDET, ESTHER, CEDER n°022615-SSP8, Council Regulation N°1543/2000 on collection of data). Main Personnel involved: Laurent Dagorn, PhD, has been working on pelagic fish behaviour for the last 17 years in the Pacific Ocean (Tahiti, Hawaii) and in the Indian Ocean (Seychelles, La Réunion), with a special expertise on fish aggregations around FADs. Dr Dagorn has more than 25 papers in peer-reviewed journals. He was the coordinator of the European project FADIO, has been the co-PI of 5 research projects funded by the Pelagic Fisheries Research Program (Hawaii, USA), and will be the coordinator of this project. Pascal Bach, PhD, has been working on large pelagic fish and longline fisheries for more than 10 years. He managed a lot of monitored longline fishing experiments in the frame of tuna and swordfish fisheries in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. Bernard Séret, PhD, ichthyologist specialized in the study of the chondrichthyan fish (sharks, rays and chimaeras), is a member of several societies involved in the conservation of sharks (Europe, America, Japon, IUCN). Frédéric Ménard, PhD, and Michel Potier, PhD, fisheries biologisst, are specialized in biology of pelagic fish (trophic ecology) and a solid experience in the field of statistical modelling and data analysis. Nicolas Bez, PhD, is an expert in fisheries data analyses, especially on spatial data. Marc Soria, PhD, has been studying behaviour of pelagic fish in the Atlantic and the Indian oceans. Pierre Chavance, PhD, and Peggy Bretaudeau, are working on fisheries and observers database.
53 Participant No 2: Seychelles Fishing Authority – SFA - Seychelles
Description of the organisation. The Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA, www.sfa.sc) is the executive arm of government in the field of fisheries. It has the responsibility to promote, organize, develop fishing, fishing industries and fishing resources in Seychelles. It assists in the formulation of the national policy with respect to fishing, fishing industries, and fishing resources, and in the implementation of the policy, in line with the Code of Conduct for responsible fisheries. It has also the responsibility to conduct fisheries related research with an ecosystem approach. It conducts negotiations, or engages in meetings, seminars or discussions, whether at national or international level, on behalf of the Republic. SFA will coordinate at a regional level the “pelagic” component of the South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Project (SWIOFP), a GEF/World Bank regional project which is part of the Agulhas/Somali LME Programme. Main tasks in the project. The SFA personnel will be involved in activities related to both purse seiners/FADs and longliners. SFA will participate to WP 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10. Personnel involved Jan Robinson, scientist, is currently the director of the Fisheries Research Section of the SFA. He is involved in biodiversity and fisheries studies, and has been involved in several international projects. Vincent Lucas, scientist, has been involved in tuna fisheries for many years, participating to meetings of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission. He is now the head of the Research and Development department at SFA, and is more particularly responsible for research on longline fisheries at SFA. He has experiences in experimental fishing and data analysis. Nanet Bristol, scientist, has been working in tuna fisheries for many years. She has experience for sea experiments and data analysis. Juliette Dorizo, scientist, is managing database on tuna fisheries for many years at SFA. She is regularly involved in working groups of tuna commissions.
54 Participant N° 3 : Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
Description of the organisation. The “Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)” inaugurated its first academic year on 20 November 1834. The ULB is a university with a comprehensive range of disciplines including 7 Faculties and 9 Schools and Institutes. The ULB is one of the largest French-speaking universities of Belgium: 20,000 students (25% are non-Belgian, of which 60% are from EU countries). Staff: 4,500 (2,700 of whom have permanent contracts). Research personnel: 1,500 full-time employees. Total budget: 199 millions euros, in 2002 (of which 66 million euros for research). Teaching hospital with 900 beds (2,200 staff - a budget of 225 million euros). It has been honoured by many awards, including three Nobel Prizes and a Fields Medal. The Times Higher Education Supplement of 2004 ranked the ULB at the 54th place worldwide among 200 universities and at the 15th place among the European universities. For more information: http://www.ulb.ac.be/ Laboratory Social Ecology (USE) is one of the laboratories of the department of biology of organisms (Faculty of Sciences) and of the Center of nonlinear phenomena and complex systems (CENOLI). USE (co-director JL Deneubourg, C. Detrain) is dedicated to conducting research on collective intelligence in group-living organisms and in artificial systems. The Unit has developed integrated experimental and theoretical tools applied for the study of complexity and self-organization in socio-biological systems. Current research projects deal with decision-making, information flow and organization of complex systems (such as animal societies, collective robotics, mixed groups robots-animals). USE participates in several international collaborations (e.g. the European projects FADIO, Ecagents and Cascadas and coordinated the FET project LEURRE). USE comprises 15 members (PhD students, Post-doct and senior scientists) and hosts each year foreign visitors for periods ranging from a few days to several months.
Main tasks in the project. ULB will be involved in research activities on the control of fish behaviour with lures/robots and models/simulations to study the effects of different densities of FADs on fish behaviour. ULB will participate to WP1, 2, 8, 9.
Previous experience relevant to those tasks. ULB has been the coordinator of the European project LEURRE (http://leurre.ulb.ac.be) , which aimed at providing a general methodology towards the control of mixed societies. ULB participated to the FADIO project (www.fadio.ird.fr) and developed theoretical models on the aggregative processes.
Personnel involved: Jean-Louis Deneubourg, Pr, FNRS (Belgian National Science Foundation), has been working on collective behaviour and self-organization the last 25 years with a special expertise on modelling. He has more than 120 papers in peer-reviewed journals. Claire Detrain, Pr, FNRS, has been working on social behaviour and communication for more than 15 years. She is the author or coauthor of more than 60 papers in peer reviewed journals. José Halloy, PhD, Senior scientist. His research involves mathematical modelling of a wide variety of biological systems (from molecular to social level). His recent work is focused on collective intelligence in natural, artificial and mixed systems. Gregory Sempo PhD, biologist, specialized in the experimental study of the interaction between animals and intelligent environment including the interaction between animals and robots.
55 Participant No 4 : AZTI-TECNALIA Spain Description of the organisation. AZTI-Tecnalia is a non-profit foundation governed by both the Regional Basque Government and the private sector. Since its creation in 1984, AZTI has become a centre of excellence in the research, technological development and transference in the areas of Oceanography and Marine Environment, Fisheries and Food Technology. It has two centres, and a third one devoted to food research is being built. The staff consists of more than 180 people mainly allocated into two research divisions: Marine Research Division and Food Research Division. The Marine Research Division is composed by more than 92 people directly involved amongst others in biological studies, fisheries monitoring, fish stock assessment, and fishing gear technology. During the last 25 years AZTI has carried out fisheries research in co-ordination with several other institutes in Europe aiming at getting relevant information for local, national and international bodies. Its ultimate purpose is to contribute equitably to the establishment of technical and scientific basis for reliable assessment and responsible exploitation of fish stocks. Main tasks in the project. AZTI will be leader of WP 5 (Fisheries-related data) and 9 (Reducing by-catch) and will participate to all WPs. Previous experience relevant to those tasks. The personnel involved from AZTI gather years of experience on marine and fishing technology devoted to the sustainability of marine fisheries (technical characteristics and operation of the fishing gears, size and species selectivity, fishing effort, discards, reduction of sensitive species by-catch) and has been involved in several projects related to this topics funded by the European Commision as FADIO project (5th F.P. EC contract QLRI-CT-2002-02773). Personnel involved: Esteban Puente, PhD, Head of the Fishing Gear Technology Area and has participated on several projects funded by the European Commision. At present he is responsible in AZTI for two EU projects aiming at the minimization of the cetacean (6th F.P. EC contract nº: 501605) and marine turtle by-catch in pelagic logline fisheries (Reference No. FISH/2005/28A). Gala Moreno is finishing her PhD on tuna behaviour around drifting FADs in the framework of European FADIO project. She worked on the analysis of the effects of FAD-fishing moratorium in the tropical Indian and Atlantic Oceans as member of ICCAT. Jose Franco has more than twenty years of experience in fishing gear technology and fish behaviour. He has been involved in numerous projects related to the renewal of the Basque fishing fleet and in EU funded projects. Arantza Murillas, PhD in Economics, has been involved in several EU funded projects (Fishery Regulation and Economic Responses of Fishermen (EU-004-00); Data on Economic Performance of the Fisheries Sector (EU-033-01). Hilaro Murua, PhD, focused in population dynamics is working on tropical tunas and is member of ICCAT and IOTC. He has been member of NAFO (1999-2006) and chairman of its Standing Committee on Fisheries Science.
56 Participant No 5 : AQUASTUDIO AQUA - Italy
Description of the organisation. AQUASTUDIO is a private research institute, established in 1982, working on a non-for-profit base. Aquastudio works mostly for public institutions, and particularly with the Italian Direction General for Fishery and Aquaculture since many years. Its goal is developing basic and applied research related to fishing activities, with a particular attention to the large pelagic fisheries and the impact of fishing activities on the environment. Furthermore, Aquastudio is often engaged in international programmes in developing countries, where projects are conducted always taking into account the local culture and with a particular attention for the economic and social aspects. Aquastudio is assisting and sometimes representing the Italian scientific delegation in ICCAT since many years. Aquastudio has carried out several projects, most of them in the Mediterranean Sea, quite often in cooperation with foreign research institutes and within EC funded projects. Among the different activities of the institute, some researchers are engaged in study the surface longline fishery since decades, including some tagging experiments of large pelagic species. Main tasks in the project. Aquastudio will be mainly involved in tasks related to the mitigation of longline fisheries in the Mediterranean. AQUA will be involved in WP1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10. Previous experience relevant to those tasks. The Aquastudio personnel in this project gather a long experience in pelagic fish (tuna, billfish and sharks), FADs, purse seiners and longliners in Mediterranean and even tropical oceans (Indian, Pacific). Aquastudio was the national responsible for the Italian study to assess the impact of pelagic driftnets and longlines, is responsible for studying the large pelagic species in a large portion of the Italian seas since many years and participated as a partner in several research projects funded by the EC on these subjects. Aquastudio was also engaged in one of the earliest European research on deterrent devices. Personnel involved: Antonio Di Natale, Dr, has been working on pelagic species behaviour for the last 30 years, mostly in the Mediterranean, but also in the Atlantic, the Indian and the Pacific oceans. Dr. Di Natale has more than 130 scientific papers and more than 50 technical reports. Massimiliano Valastro, Dr, has been working on large pelagic fish and longliners for more than 15 years, even in the Pacific ocean. He has a long and qualified experience on offshore fisheries and particularly on longline fishery for large pelagics. Antonia Mangano, Dr, has about 25 years of experience in studying the large pelagic fisheries and on data control. Giovanni Caltavuturo, Dr, has about 10 years of experience on many types of fishing activities and use of deterrent devices. Antonio Celona, Msc, has been working on large pelagic fish and longliners for more than 10 years. He has a long and qualified experience on offshore fisheries and particularly on longline fishery for large pelagics and experimental trials.
57 Participant No 6: Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, HCMR Greece.
Description of the organisation. The Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (http://www.hcmr.gr) is a Governmental Research Institution engaged in research activities in all fields of the marine and freshwater science. As a National Centre, provides comprehensive services and technical support to the public on various aspects related to the aquatic environment. The HCMR has been established in 2003 through the amalgamation of the National Center for Marine Research and the Institute of Marine Biology of Crete and has a staff of about 410 people. HCMR comprises 5 research Institutes: Institute of Oceanography, Institute of Marine Biological Resources, Institute of Inland Waters, Institute of Aquaculture and Institute of Marine Biology and Genetics. The contributions to the project will be provided by the staff of the Institute of Marine Biological Resources, which is specialized in aspects related to the assessment and management of marine stocks. Main tasks in the project. HCMR will be mainly involved in tasks related to the mitigation of longline fisheries in the Mediterranean. HCMR will be leader of WP10 Synthetic mitigation measures. HCMR will participate to WP1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10. Previous experience relevant to those tasks. The HCMR personnel has a long experience on aspects related to large pelagic fisheries through its participation in more than 10 national and EU projects in the field of large pelagic species. HCMR is currently coordinating the Fisheries Data Collection Program for large pelagic species in Greece. The main scientist involved in the project is currently coordinating the Mediterranean Swordfish working group of ICCAT. Main Personnel involved: George Tserpes, PhD, holds a position of Principal Researcher in the Institute of Marine Biological Resources of HCMR and in the last 15 years he has participated/coordinated in more than 10 national and European projects in the field of fisheries biology and stock assessment for large pelagic species. He has a wide experience on aspects related to the management of marine fisheries through its participation in STECF (regular member from 1998 to 2002), GFCM and ICCAT meetings. Since 2002, he is coordinating the Mediterranean Swordfish working group of ICCAT. Panagiota Peristeraki, biologist, has a long experience and numerous publications on aspects related to large pelagic species including biological studies on population parameters, as well as, on studies concerning longline fisheries and their by-catch. George Lazarakis, fisheries technologist, has a long experience in field studies on large pelagic fisheries including tagging operations and gear selectivity.
58 Participant No 7 : Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco – UFRPE - Brazil
Description of the organisation. The UFRPE (http://www.ufrpe.br/) is a public university attached to the Brazilian Ministry of Education, whose main mission is to exert an integrated action of the activities of teaching, researches and out reaching, aiming to reach academic quality, promotion of the development of sciences (agrarian, biological, exact and human) and the formation of citizens capable to face challenges and to take care of sustainable development of the society. Its activities are concentrated in the Campus of Dois Irmãos, in Recife, where different activities are developed. The university have a Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, where 25 researchers and technicians are specifically working on the sustainable use of natural resources of marine, coastal and inland aquatic ecosystems.
Main tasks in the project. UFRPE will participate to WP1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10. Previous experience relevant to those tasks. The UFRPE personnel in this project gather a long experience in tropical pelagic fish (tuna, billfish and sharks) and longline fisheries in the Tropical Atlantic Ocean. UFRPE is the coordinator of the Brazilian project to the development of tuna fisheries in Brazil. Some of researchers from the Fisheries and Aquaculture Department have participated actively of meetings of ICCAT (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna). UFRPE has also conducted researches projects on fisheries and ecology of tuna, billfish and sharks in the Atlantic Ocean and on others pelagic fishes. Personnel involved: Paulo Travassos, PhD, has been working on pelagic fish behaviour for the last 15 years in the Atlantic Ocean (Western Tropical Zone), with a special expertise on climatic and oceanographic variability on distribution and catchability of tunas and tuna-like species. He will be the Brazilian coordinator of this project and has participated regularly to meetings of ICCAT as Brazilian Statistical Correpondent. Fábio Hazin, PhD, has been working on large pelagic fish and longliners for more than 15 years, with a special expertise on distribution and reproductive biology of tunas, billfishes and sharks species. He has participated regularly to meetings of ICCAT as Chief Scientist. Humberto Hazin, PhD, has been studying behaviour of pelagic fish, with a special expertise on climatic and oceanographic variability on distribution and catchability of tunas and tuna- like species in the Atlantic Ocean.
59 Participant No 8: Université de La Réunion RUN - France
Description of the organisation. An ultra-peripheral region of Europe in the heart of the Indian Ocean 10,000 km from mainland France, Réunion Island is a French Overseas Department. Its University (with full autonomy since 1982) has grown steadily over the years. Its specific geo-strategic position makes it the only European university in this part of the world. So it has what it takes to interface between Europe and the Indian Ocean. The University of La Réunion, an up and coming University Currently located over 3 separate sites (Saint-Denis, Le Tampon, Saint-Pierre), the University of La Réunion has seen considerable growth of its size in the last 20 years, as the number of students shot from 2,000 to 12,000 and floor space from 9,000 to 74,000 sq m. The main part of students are in the Saint-Denis site, in the North of the island, but the South Colleges in Saint-Pierre and Le Tampon have witnessed a sharp increase in student number since their creation. The University of La Réunion in figures The University of La Réunion includes: 4 faculties (1 Faculty of Law & Economics, 1 Faculty of Science & Technology, 1 Faculty of Arts & Humanities, 1 Faculty of Human Sciences & Environment, 2 Institutes, 1 Business School (IAE), 1 University Institute of Technology (IUT), 27 Departments, 17 Laboratories, 370 teaching & research staff, over 250 administration, technical & service staff, 7 Cross-Faculty Services, 15 Central Administration Services Main tasks in the project. RUN will be leader of WP6 “Development of prototypes” and will participate to WP1, 6, 7. . Previous experience relevant to those tasks. The UR personnel in this project gather a long experience in enzymatic hydrolysis of fish proteins. Fish protein hydrolysates mixed with fish mince, will be used in this project as attractants within the artificial bait. UR (through Pr L. Dufossé, formerly at Université de Bretagne Occidentale) has participated in research projects within PCRDs 5 and 6 (such as FAIR CT97-3097). Personnel involved: Laurent Dufossé, PhD, has been working on food ingredients for the last 17 years in various private companies and universities. Isabelle Grondin, PhD, has been studying edible oils for more than 10 years. Fish oils and/or their degradation products could play a role in the artificial bait. Alain Shum, PhD, a food scientist and an analytical chemist, developed numerous analytical techniques that will be useful in monitoring production of the attractants.
60 Participant No 9: Institut français de recherche pour l’exploitation de la mer Ifremer - France
Description of the organisation: The French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea (http://www.ifremer.fr) is a public establishment being created in 1984. It is the only French organisation with an exclusively maritime vocation and it is under the joint authority of the four Ministries: Research, Agriculture and Fisheries, Transport and Housing, Environment. Ifremer contributes, through studies and expert assessments, to knowledge about the ocean and its resources, monitoring the marine and coastal zones and promoting the sustainable development of maritime activities. To these ends, it designs and operates observational, experimental and monitoring tools and facilities and manages the ocean research fleet for the French scientific community. Ifremer takes an active part in European Union studies (the European Science Foundation's Marine Board, the DG Research and DG Fisheries programmes). It is also a member of international organisations in its field of competence, such as the General commission for Mediterranean fishing or the intergovernmental ocean research commission. The institute contributes to international research programmes (studies on climate, environmental and biodiversity). Ifremer is located in some 26 stations or centres along the coastlines (including overseas territories) and includes about 1375 permanent employees, 50 Ph.D students and 30 post-doctoral fellowships. Ifremer budget is about 182 M€ per year. Main tasks in the project: Ifremer will participate in WP1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Previous experience relevant to those tasks. The Ifremer personnel involved in this project gather a long experience in pelagic fisheries (tuna, swordfish, dolphinfish and sharks), FADs, purse seiners and longliners in tropical oceans (Indian, Atlantic). Ifremer was an active partner of the European project FADIO (5th FP, contract # QLRI-CT-2001-02773, www.fadio.ird.fr) on FADs in the Indian Ocean. Ifremer has also conducted recently several research projects on FADs and longlines fisheries in the Indian Ocean (PPR, DORADE, SIH). Personnel involved: Marc Taquet, PhD, is a marine ecologist who worked during the last 20 years on tropical fisheries in the Indian Ocean and in the Caribbean. He conducted the first FADs programs in the French Islands in the Indian Ocean (Reunion and Mayotte) in the eighties then he studied the behavior of pelagic fish around anchored and drifting FADs. During his Ph-D he worked on the aggregative behavior of Dolphinfish using several electronic tagging methods. Ichthyologist and professional diver, he was involved in the FADIO European project (related to tuna fisheries on FADs) as part of the tagging team (tunas, Dolphinfish and sharks), responsible of underwater works (visual-census) and dissemination of the results trough video movies. He published as first author or co-author 16 articles in peer-reviewed journals, 4 books on fish and fisheries and produced several scientific movies on pelagic fishery research. Jacques Sacchi is a fishing gear technologist of Fisheries in Sète Ifremer laboratory. He is research director in charge of research program concerning fishing technology as fishing gear selectivity for static net and trawl, fishing impact environment and fishing capacity studies. He does expertises for regional or national administrations, FAO and European Union for Mediterranean fisheries management in the field of fishing technology. He also be involved in course, training and information for fishermen, fishery officers and students. Yvon Guennegan is a marine biologist who worked during the last 20 years on Méditerranean fisheries, participating to the GFCM commission, and is now based in La Réunion to work on longline fisheries.
61 Participant No 10 : Institut Charles Gerhardt Montpellier UM2 - University of Montpellier 2
Description of the organisation. The “Institut Charles Gerhardt Montpellier” is attached both to the Ministry of National Education and Research and to the National Council for Scientific Research (C.N.R.S.). It is located on the different campus of universities Montpellier 1, Montpellier 2 and on the campus the National School for Chemistry (E.N.S.C.M.). This institute is a not-for-profit government-funded public organisation whose general mission is to perform academic and applied researches focused on the development of molecular chemistry and materials. The organization is composed of eight laboratories with about 200 researchers acting in different fields like ceramics, polymers, metals and on a wide range of applications: nanomaterials, sustainable development, energy…This institute is equipped with different technologies and apparatus for characterization of chemical structures, morphological structures, properties of materials (mechanical, rheological, surface…).
Main tasks in the project. The Charles Gerhardt Institute of the University of Montpellier 2 will be mainly involved in WP6 “Development of prototypes” and WP7 “Tests of prototypes”, and in WP1, 2, 3. Previous experience relevant to those tasks. The researchers of the Charles Gerhardt Institute and mainly those of the laboratory entitled “Engineering of Macromolecular Architectures” has a long experience in the area of polymers and tuning of special architectures leading to specific properties like biodegradability and in the conception and development of products for different applications. Personnel involved: Jean Jacques Robin, Professor has a long experience in the field of polymer chemistry and macromolecular design. He is involved in polymer recycling and in the development of new biodegradable polymers. He is a partner in different programs connected with industrial actors or with French Organizations in charge of researches in relation with sustainable development. André Collet, Doctor, is a researcher specialized in the field of synthesis of polymers, the study of special properties and has an experience in polymer coming from renewable resources. Experimented engineer having a specialized experience in plasturgy and for designing and manufacturing plastic injection moulds.
62 Participant No 11: The Genoa Aquarium Foundation FADG - Italy
Description of the organisation. The Genoa Aquarium Foundation is constituted as a ONLUS established in 2003. Partners of the ONLUS Genoa Aquarium Foundation are: Genoa Town Council and Province, University of Genoa and Costa Edutainment. In 2004, the Foundation obtained acknowledgment of legal status of private law by the Liguria Region. The main target of the Genoa Aquarium Foundation ONLUS (no-profit organisation having a social utility) is to raise awareness of, and educate the public opinion to, conservation, managing and responsible exploitation of aquatic environment and it’s resources, through educative programs, exhibits, conferences, environmental awareness campaigns, scientific research projects and cooperation with prestigious public and private organizations. The experience reached by the Aquarium of Genoa in 15 years is an important starting point for Foundation activities development. The main lines of intervention for protecting aquatic environments are:1. Awareness and education for users of the sea, 2. Activity of applied scientific research and active protection, 3. Management of emergencies The ONLUS Genoa Aquarium Foundation is also active in the context of international cooperation combining environment protection with sustainable management of resources. Main tasks in the project. The Genoa Aquarium Foundation will participate to WP 3 (Dissemination activities), and also to WP1, 2.
Personnel involved: The Genoa Aquarium Foundation does not have direct staff but, thanks to an agreement with Costa Edutainment, it can employ the Costa Edutainment staff at the pure cost. Antonio Di Natale, Dr, has been working on pelagic species behaviour for the last 30 years, mostly in the Mediterranean, but also in the Atlantic, the Indian and the Pacific oceans. Dr. Di Natale has more than 130 scientific papers and more than 50 technical reports. Bruna Valettini, Dr.ssa, coordinator for educational, promotional and scientific services of the Genoa Aquarium. Her experience include aquariology and then planning, coordinating and setting up exhibitions, educational projects and international events. She participated to various EC projects, often with a role of internal co-ordinator. Roberta Parodi, Dr.ssa, Educational Department coordinator Aquarium of Genoa.. she works in the Educational Department of the Aquarium of Genoa, with the following assignments: Formulation and performance of the educational presentations and courses for schools and teachers, Coordinator of the European Project “ Waves” Guido Gnone, Dr, marine biologist, scientific coordinator of the research activities, having more than 15 years experience in field and laboratory activities, with many scientific papers on various issues. Angelini Stefano, Dr, marine biologist, in charge of the educational sector, having a specific experience in awareness and educational campaigns about the responsible use of halieutic resources, with several publications on various issues. Anna Zanuttini, Dr.ssa, she is Marketing & Communication Responsible at Costa Aquarium S.p.A. since 2000, with the specific responsibility to develop image and communication strategies and partnerships with other companies.
63 Participant No 12 : Institute of Marine Research, Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, Centre of the University of the Azores IMAR-DOP - Portugal
Description of the organisation. The Institute of Marine Research (IMAR - http://www.IMAR.pt) is a non-profit organisation based on Portuguese Universities. The centre of the University of the Azores is attached to the Department of Oceanography and Fisheries (DOP). IMAR-DOP is involved in research and educational activities related with the ecology and management of island, open ocean and deepwater marine ecosystems. Emphasis is given to the study of the biology, genetics and population dynamics of fishing resources including pelagic, inshore, demersal and deep-sea fish with commercial interest in the Mid-Atlantic region. The group has long been involved with governmental and non-governmental partners, at the international, European and national levels, in the implementation of Marine Protected Areas, fisheries monitoring programs and research for biodiversity conservation. IMAR-DOP is responsible for conducting fisheries research cruises and manage fisheries statistics databases for the region. Facilities include arrays of fixed acoustic stations for marine telemetry, databases from fisheries landings and observers programs; a 27.5 m GRP ship for Oceanographic and Fisheries research, a 11m cabined vessel and several smaller skiffs.
Main tasks in the project. IMAR-DOP will be directly involved in all tasks related to pelagic longline studies, out-reach activities and stakeholders involvement.
Previous experience relevant to those tasks. The study of adverse impacts of fisheries in target and non-target species and ecosystems has been one of the major objectives of the Institution’s research, including several years of international projects on longline turtle by-catch mitigation and tuna fisheries monitoring (http://www.horta.uac.pt/projectos/popa). The team has been involved as contractor or coordinator in numerous EU funded projects applied to the management and conservation of species and habitats. (DG Fisheries, Life, EVK2, EVK3, MAS3, FP6). The team has also been involved in behavioural studies using acoustic and satellite telemetry in turtles, fish and marine mammals.
Personnel involved: Ricardo Serrão SANTOS (PhD) - ichthyology, marine mammals, biogeography, behavioural ecology, marine conservation, MPAs. RSS has over 80 papers in ISI-ICI journals and coordinated numerous national and international projects. João GONÇALVES (PhD) - marine ecology, seaturtles. Gui MENEZES (PhD) - deep-sea fisheries and seamount ecology. Telmo MORATO (PhD) - fish and fisheries ecology, ecosystems approach to fisheries. João Gil PEREIRA (PhD) - tuna and tuna fisheries. Coordinator of several ICCAT committees. Mário Rui PINHO (PhD) - population dynamics and stock assessment. Fernando TEMPERA (Lic.) - habitat mapping, biodiversity, MPAs, and management plans. Alexandre AIRES-DA-SILVA (Lic) - shark population dynamics, spatial modelling
64 Participant No 13: University of Patras, UPAT Greece.
Description of the organisation. •The Department of Biology of the University of Patras has been involved in both European and national fishery oriented projects since 1996. The scientists participating in the project are involved in research projects and studies mainly focused on the small scale fisheries (SSF). The majority of pelagic longline fishery of the Ionian Sea is a component of SSF. The team involved in the project has also a solid experience in the field of environment – fisheries interactions. Studies in the field of fisheries ecology and fisheries oceanography have been realised in various ecosystems, from lagoons to open seas. The main scientists of the team have also a solid experience in field experiments in the context multidisciplinary studies. Moreover, the team has continues contact and exchanges with the representatives of the fishermen, through the realisation of specific management studies along the Western Hellenic coast and the continuous advisory support of their structures.
Main tasks in the project. UPAT will be mainly involved in tasks related to the mitigation of longline fisheries in the Mediterranean. UPAT will participate to WP1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10.
Previous experience relevant to those tasks. The UPAT personnel have a long experience on aspects related to fisheries ecology and fisheries management. The scientists have been involved in European and National projects of both fundamental and applied research in the above mentioned fields both in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic coastal areas. In collaboration with HCMR (Hellenic Centre for Marine Research) they were involved in several European projects targeting the pelagic longline fisheries (swordfish and bluefin tuna).
Main Personnel involved: Constantin Koutsikopoulos, PhD, is Associate Professor in the Department of Biology of the University of Patras since 1996. Before that, he worked for 12 years in the Fisheries Oceanography and Fisheries Ecology laboratories of the Centre IFREMER (Nantes, France). During this period it was involved as principal scientist in studies focused on the environment – recruitment relationships in the Bay of Biscay. In the University of Patras he is involved in fisheries Ecology studies in lagoons, coastal and open sea ecosystems and also in specific studies concerning the structure, dynamics and management of the Hellenic fisheries. He is the scientific advisor of Hellenic Fishermen Confederation representing more than 15000 small scale fishermen. George Katselis, PhD, biologist, has a long experience on aspects concerning fish ecology and fisheries in various ecosystems. He was involved in several projects concerning the large pelagic fisheries in the Western Greece. Evangelos Tzanatos, PhD, biologist, specialised in studies concerning the structure and dynamics of small scale fisheries in Greece including the development of a typology of the sector, metier identification and the study of biological and ecological aspects. Michael Georgiadis, fisheries technologist, has a long experience in field studies on small scale fisheries and he was involved in projects on large pelagic fisheries including tagging operations.
65 B2.3 Consortium as a whole
The consortium has been created in order to achieve the objectives of the project respecting the main concepts adopted for this research. The consortium is composed of 13 partners from 8 different countries: France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Belgium from Europe, and Brazil and the Seychelles as ICPC countries. The geography of the consortium provides many advantages: • The project gathers the main European countries with fleets exploiting large pelagic fish: Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, Greece. Moreover, two ultra-peripheral EU regions (La Réunion and the Azores) play key roles in this project. • The field studies correspond to the main fishing grounds of these European fleets in the Indian and Atlantic oceans, and in the Mediterranean Sea, with the exception of the Pacific ocean. • Three oceans or seas will be studied, and in each region, two regions will be used for in situ experiments: La Réunion and the Seychelles for the Indian Ocean, the Azores and Brazil for the Atlantic Ocean, West (Italy) and East (Greece) of the Mediterranean Sea. • Brazil and the Seychelles (ICPC countries) have major national longline fisheries, and the Seychelles are located in the center of the purse seiners activities in the Western Indian Ocean. The economy of this country depends on a great part on purse seiners activities.
This consortium has been constituted to gather complementary skills and knowledge: • 5 institutes will conduct activities related to purse seiners and FADs: IRD, SFA, ULB, AZTI, IFREMER. These 5 partners were members of the recent European project FADIO. • IRD and AZTI have been working on tropical purse seine fisheries for years, being involved in all tuna commissions. They are currently in charge of observers programs to monitor by-catch around FADs in the Atlantic and the Indian oceans. • 10 institutes will conduct activities related to longliners: IRD, SFA, AQUA, HCMR, UFRPE, RUN, IFREMER, UM2, IMAR-DOP, UPAT. • IRD, IFREMER, IMAR-DOP, AQUA, SFA, UFRPE, HCMR, UPAT have a long experience on longline fisheries targeting tropical tuna and billfish. • IRD, IFREMER, IMAR-DOP, AQUA, SFA, UFRPE, HCMR, UPAT have particular experience and knowledge on pelagic fish behaviour, especially from electronic tagging. • AZTI has developed particular skills in fisheries economic. • AZTI and IFREMER have a recognized experience on fisheries technology. • FADG has recognized skills in dissemination activities. • IRD has a long experience in research for the development of developing countries, and will ensure that the outcomes of the project will reach these countries.
The project will be coordinated by Laurent Dagorn (IRD), who coordinated a European project and was co-PI of five research programs funded by the Pelagic Fisheries Research Programme (Hawaii, U.S.A.): • European project FADIO (Fish Aggregating Devices as Instrumented Observatories of pelagic ecosystems) – EU, DG research, 5ème FP - Project # QLRI-CT-2001-02773 - Budget : 2.7 millions € (2003-2006) – 10 organisations, 30 scientists • PFRP projects, as co-PI with Dr Kim Holland (Univ. Hawaii): o Development of 'Business Card' Tags: Inter-individual Data Transfer
66 o Scaling Up: Linking FAD-associated Local Behavior of Tuna to Regional Scale Movements and Distribution o Investigation of Aggregation Behavior of FAD-Associated Small Yellowfin Tuna and Size Dependent Vertical Stratification o Instrumented Buoys as Autonomous Observatories of Pelagic Ecosystems o Trophic Ecology and Structure-Associated Aggregation Behavior in Bigeye and Yellowfin Tuna in Hawaiian Waters L. Dagorn is also a member of the scientific committee of the Ocean Tracking Network project of the Census of Marine Life.
i) Sub-contracting Only UM2 and FADG will use subcontractors. UM2 will use a subcontractor to build 500 units of EBAB (artificial bait) from the prototype for in situ testing, and FADG will use subcontractors for some dissemination actions (e.g. web site and translations). ii) Other countries No other countries than Europe and ICPC are partners in this project. iii) Additional partners No additional partners are planned.
B2.4 Resources to be committed
The total budget is estimated to 4705816 €, mainly composed of Personnel costs (31,5%), Other Direct costs (34,1%) and Indirect costs (33,7%):
Personnel costs; 31,5% Indirect costs; 33,7%
Subcontracting; 0,7%
Other direct costs; 34,1%
Cost categories of the Project
The distribution of total costs and request to the EC among participants is as follows:
67
Participant no./short name Total Costs Request to the EC 1- IRD (Coordinator) 33,4% 26,0% 2- SFA 1,5% 1,7% 3- ULB 3,1% 2,7% 4- AZTI 10,3% 12,1% 5- AQUA 5,7% 6,8% 6- HCMR 5,2% 6,2% 7- UFRPE 6,8% 5,5% 8- RUN 5,3% 6,3% 9- IFREMER 5,6% 6,6% 10- UM2 8,3% 7,5% 11- FADG 1,8% 2,8% 12- IMAR-DOP 9,6% 11,6% 13- PATRAS 3,6% 4,2%
MADE is built upon analyses of historical and new data. Collection of new data (WP4) is therefore a major activity of the Project: • IRD, SFA, AZTI and IFREMER participate to activities related to purse seiners and FADs. IRD identified costs related to vessel rentals, and costs for electronic tags and receivers is shared among IRD, AZTI, IFREMER. • IRD, SFA, AQUA, HCMR, UFRPE, IFREMER, IMAR-DOP, UPAT participate to activities related to longliners. IRD, SFA, AQUA, HCMR, UFRPE, IMAR-DOP and UPAT identified costs for vessel rentals and electronic tags. The request to the European Commission is 2978200 €, which represents a global rate of 63% of the total budget. The different organisations will ensure that they will complement the contribution by the European Commission in order to provide the Project with the necessary resources to achieve the objectives.
68 B3 Potential impact
B3.1 Strategic impact
The main expected impact is to provide mitigation measures to reduce adverse impacts of open ocean fisheries (purse seiners using FADs and pelagic longliners), supporting a viable commercial exploitation of fish resources. The project will aim at providing new measures, but not at implementing or controlling them. Specific impacts are expected, targeting different end-users: fishers, tuna commissions, EU DG Fisheries, scientists: • Significantly reduce by-catch of sharks and juvenile swordfish by longliners by developing new fishing practices (bait size, hook size, artificial bait, fishing period, soaking time, fishing depth, etc.), considering measures developed in previous projects to reduce by-catch of seabirds and turtles. Integrated spatial management measures will be studied, considering the biology and ecology of the main by-catch species (e.g. sharks). All these measures will be examined along with economic efficiency indicators, to ensure a viable exploitation of fish resources by pelagic longliners. • Significantly reduce by-catch of silky sharks and turtles by purse seiners using FADs by proposing new fishing practices including techniques and protocols to reduce catches of sharks by purse seines, use of instrumented buoys to improve information on fish composition around FADs, design and implementation of ecological FADs preventing the entanglement of turtles in FADs. Integrated spatial management measures will be studied, considering the biology and ecology of the main by-catch species (e.g. sharks). All these measures will be examined along with economic efficiency indicators, to ensure a viable exploitation of fish resources by purse seiners. • Assess the impacts of FADs on the biology and ecology of pelagic fish, and determine if specific measures must be taken or not, that would support a viable exploitation of fish resources by purse seiners.
The project will work closely with fishers from the beginning, associating them to some actions. First, a Fisheries Committee will be created, composed of fishers and fleet owners, and this FC will work in close contact with the Steering Committee (se WP1). IRD and AZTI have a long history of collaboration with French and Spanish purse seiners fleets, especially through several European projects (e.g. ESTHER, CEDER, FADIO). All partners involved in mitigation measures for longline fisheries have developed close relationships with local longline fleets: IRD (La Réunion), SFA (Seychelles), UFRPE (Brazil), DOP (Azores), AQUA (Italy), HCMR (Greece). These close links between the consortium and fishers will ensure a good dissemination of the project to this community, and moreover, that the impacts will be achieved. Because the longliner and purse seiner fleets operating in the Indian and Atlantic oceans, and in the Mediterranean Sea, involve many European countries, this research must be done at a European level. The project comprises the main European countries exploiting large pelagic fish: Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, Greece. In addition, these fleets interact with developing countries and there is a need to associate these countries to the project. Brazil and the Seychelles have developed pelagic longline fleets that will benefit from the outcomes of this research. The Seychelles are located in the center of the fishing grounds of the European purse seiners fleet in the Western Indian Ocean, with particular relationships with these European stakeholders. The project will work closely with international tuna commissions. All researchers of the consortium have a long experience in such commissions (mainly IOTC and ICCAT), which will ensure that the new measures proposed by the consortium will be disseminated to them.
69 Such action will be reinforced by the fact that these commissions know that fishers are closely associated to this research project. As all these issues occur in all tropical oceans, an effort will also be made to disseminate the results to the other tuna commissions (IATTC and WCPFC).
B3.2 Plan for the use and dissemination of foreground
A specific WP is dedicated to dissemination activities as this is considered as a key component for the success of the project. FADG will be responsible for these activities (and leader of WP3), with the involvement of researchers of the project from the other organisations participating to the project. The preliminary idea for the dissemination (that should be primarily directed to fishers, but also to tuna commissions and to a larger audience) is (1) to create a specific, functional and attractive web site (which will take advantage of the future AQUARING semantic portal), to produce leaflets in 6 languages (French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Greek, English), to update the AQUARING audience (science centres, aquaria, Museums, research institutes) with the MADE outputs, to produce a short video for fishers and another short video for the public at large and to bring this issue in some external fora, creating good opportunities for press releases. The dissemination activities will be done at different levels targeting different publics. Fishers It is essential to associate fishers to this research from the beginning of MADE, which will be done in particular through the Fisheries Committee. Through this FC, fishers will be involved in all stages of the project. Fishers will be involved in the project for some field actions (see WP4, 5, 6 & 7) as some activities will be done onboard fishing vessels for instance. But the objective is also to target a larger audience of fishers than only those who will collaborate with the project. This is why a specific sub-WP is dedicated to dissemination of the project’s results to fishers (WP3.2). International tuna commissions International tuna commissions, in particular IOTC (Indian Ocean) and ICCAT (Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea), but also IATTC (Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission) and WCPFC (Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission) will be regularly informed of the progress of the project. One member of the consortium at least will attend annual meetings of IOTC and ICCAT and present progress of the project to interact with scientists of other countries. DG Fisheries DG Fisheries will regularly be informed of the progress of the project through emails and invitation to participate to annual meetings of the project. Scientists A significant effort will be made to disseminate all scientific results in peer-reviewed journals. The involvement of the European Commission in this project will be demonstrated by adding the following sentence to each publication: “This study (report, paper, workshop…) has been carried out with financial support from the Commission of the European Communities, specific RTD programme of Framework Programme 7 ,“Theme 2-Food, Agriculture, Fisheries and Biotechnology", through the research project MADE (Mitigating adverse ecological impacts of open ocean fisheries). It does not necessarily reflect its views and in no way anticipates the Commission’s future policy in this area."
70 Public A web site will be developed on the project, to describe the context, the objectives, the approach of MADE. This web site should be operational 6 months after the start of the project. Intellectual property New technologies and protocols will be developed in MADE. At the kick-off meeting, the Steering Committee will determine the rules to be adopted by the project on intellectual property, considering the need to promote the development of SMEs, and the need to develop cheap products that will allow a viable exploitation of fish resources. This is an essential condition to ensure that the new measures can be implemented in fisheries from Europe and developing countries, which have different constraints. Plan for the use of results after the project One deliverable of WP3 is to propose a plan for the use of results in terms of future research or commercial exploitation. After synthesizing the results of the project, the Consortium will establish a clear plan to disseminate this foreground. Clearly, the main target of our results will be people in charge of fishery regulations, but also fishers and scientists. The two workshops that will be organised by the end of the project (WP8.5 and WP10.3) will serve to discuss the results of the project with a larger audience, compare it with results from other international projects on the same topic, and develop a plan to disseminate the foreground after the end of the project. Three different possible uses of results will be examined: future research (e.g. biology and ecology of by-catch species), commercial exploitation (e.g. for the prototypes developed in the project, if they prove to be efficient and usable by fishers), fishing practices (e.g. new fishing strategies for longliners, or new design of FADs for purse seiners).
B4 Ethical issues
The management will control that each member of the project has the requested basic knowledge on the ethical and safety issues in relation to the project, which will be constantly updated through close liaison with ethical officers of each parent institute and companies. The coordinator (Laurent Dagorn) has a French diploma on Animal Experimentation and a diploma on Experimental surgery, delivered by the Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Nantes (France) in 2006. This diploma ensures that L. Dagorn has the academic skills and experience to coordinate and/or conduct experiments on animals, and do some experimental surgery such as implanting tags in body cavity of fish. Two other French members of the consortium have the same diploma (Marc Soria – IRD, and Marc Taquet – Ifremer).
YES PAGE Informed Consent • Does the proposal involve children? • Does the proposal involve patients or persons not able to give consent? • Does the proposal involve adult healthy volunteers? • Does the proposal involve Human Genetic Material? • Does the proposal involve Human biological samples? • Does the proposal involve Human data collection? Research on Human embryo/foetus
71 • Does the proposal involve Human Embryos? • Does the proposal involve Human Foetal Tissue / Cells? • Does the proposal involve Human Embryonic Stem Cells? Privacy • Does the proposal involve processing of genetic information or personal data (eg. health, sexual lifestyle, ethnicity, political opinion, religious or philosophical conviction) • Does the proposal involve tracking the location or observation of people? Research on Animals • Does the proposal involve research on animals? YES 64-65 • Are those animals transgenic small laboratory animals? • Are those animals transgenic farm animals? • Are those animals cloning farm animals? • Are those animals non-human primates? Research Involving Developing Countries • Use of local resources (genetic, animal, plant etc) • Benefit to local community (capacity building ie access YES 5-6-63 to healthcare, education etc) Dual Use • Research having potential military / terrorist application I CONFIRM THAT NONE OF THE ABOVE ISSUES APPLY TO MY PROPOSAL
B5 Consideration of gender aspects
The aim will be to oversee the overall actions performed by the project to promote gender equality. The final objective is to ensure that these actions result in progress on the gender equality within the consortium (mostly as regards to the extra efforts performed by the project steering committee to recruit more women in senior positions). The gender equality annual report will be based on the gender equality evolution within the project (assessment of gender equality in the project meetings, students, etc.). There are women involved in the scientific and administrative management of the project: Two out of ten workpackage Team Leaders are women. The overall proportion of women in our proposal is 25%. There is thus a clear unbalance of genders within our project, which we will address and remedy by following a gender action plan as described below. Gender action plan In direct relation to European policy of gender impact in the working environment, our consortium will perform and develop the following measurable activities to increase the awareness of gender amongst the participants. This will primarily be a ‘gender awareness’ programme designed to educate all members of the Project on the unspoken societal rules that dictate the role of the different genders in the work place. To achieve this aim three
72 solid actions will be performed. The first will be a summarization of the FP5 Helsinki report on gender issues which will be distributed to all members and requested to read. To supplement this, the full documents along with references to other pertinent websites and documents will also be included in the web site. It will be asked to volunteer locally to each partner to ensure a continued development and increased awareness of the issues in the workplace with regard to gender issues. Finally as gender discrimination traditionally results in less women having an active role in the professional environment, special attention will be paid to ensure that extra effort will be performed to try and recruit more women into the project specifically in senior and training/dissemination positions, and avoid the loss of women scientists during the transition between junior and higher positions. These actions will be co-ordinated and managed by the project management team to ensure that the above activities are adhered to.
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