Mitigating the impact of longline fisheries on seabirds: Lessons learned from the South Georgia Patagonian toothfish fishery (CCAMLR Subarea 48.3)

Authors
Collins, M.A., Hollyman, P.R., Clark, J., Söffker, M., Yates, O. and Phillips, R.A.
Year
Journal/Publisher Name
Marine Policy
Volume (Issue #)
131
Page #s
15
Contact information
M.A. Collins, British Antarctic Survey, U.K.- martin.collins@bas.ac.uk
Summary

This paper reports on successful seabird mitigation methods implemented in a CCAMLR fishery. The sub-Antarctic Patagonian toothfish fisheryhad a high seabird bycatch mortality rate, particularly of black-browed albatross and white-chinned petrels, when it began (>5,000 birds per 1,000 hooks); due to successful mitigation measures and compliance, it has since significantly reduced (<0.01 bird per 1,000 hooks). A multitude of measures were implemented, and the following measures are considered to have been important in reducing mortality: restricting the fishery to only operating in the austral winter, using novel marked hooks, 100% observer coverage, restricting longline setting to only occur during nighttime, and requiring weighted hooks so that lines sink rapidly.