The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), a division of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has published its first US National Bycatch Report detailing the damage commercial fishing does to non-commercial marine species. While this document emphasizes progress made in reducing bycatch, the numbers of animals affected indicates the need to further improve methods of reducing losses of non-target species.
What is Fisheries Bycatch and Why is it a Problem?
The report defines bycatch as “discarded catch of any living marine resource and as unobserved mortality due to a direct encounter with fishing gear.” It further states that, because unobserved mortality data is not readily available, it is not included in the report. It is, however, included in bycatch estimates for protected species where the available the data makes this possible.
When species that are not being targeted are caught in fishing gear, these animals – fish, seabirds, marine mammals and sea turtles – are lost to the environment. NMFS, in addition to managing fish stocks in US waters, is charged with conserving marine mammals and endangered marine life and, therefore has a responsibility to prevent bycatch losses.
The 2005 Fishing Season by the Numbers
In 2005, in addition to the 6,068,019,000 pounds of commercially valuable fish taken in the fisheries considered in this report estimates of other marine wildlife losses include:
• 1,221,272,000 pounds of non-target fish species
• 1,887 marine mammals
• 11,772 sea turtles
• 7,699 seabirds
More than 5,000 endangered loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) died. Harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) were the most heavily affected marine mammal with over 600 animals taken. The northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) was the hardest hit of the seabird species with more than 3000 deaths. The ocean sunfish (Mola mola) was the most common non-target fish species killed.
As bad as these numbers are, there does appear to be some improvement over the estimated bycatch in 2002-2003. In that timeframe the FAO estimated 7,373,220,000 pounds of fish caught with 2,045,006,000 pounds bycatch. A report by Harrington et al cited in the Bycatch Report estimated total fish caught at 8,194,516,000 pounds with 2,332,894,000 pounds bycatch.
Catch Shares and Fishing Gear Innovations Hold Promise for Bycatch Reduction
Catch Share programs have been developed for a number of fisheries in response to the unintended consequences of setting annual catch limits. With strict quotas in place, fishermen felt compelled to rush out early in the season and catch as many fish as they could as quickly as they could before the limit was reached. In addition to the increased risk for the fishing community during these short, intense fishing bouts, there was a higher rate of bycaught species.
By using catch shares, each individual, cooperative or community involved in the fishery is entitled to a portion of the annual catch limit. Pressure to get there first is reduced, allowing fishermen to fish more safely and in ways are more environmentally sound.
Catch shares are not appropriate for every fishery but changes to gillnet, scallop dredge and shrimp trawl fishing gear have resulted in fewer bycaught species. The use of acoustic deterrents called ‘pingers’ has reduced harbor porpoise mortalities in some areas and time or area closures are also being used to reduce bycatch. Still, more needs to be done to save non-target species affected by commercial fisheries if a balanced ocean ecosystem is to be ensured.
Dawn M. Smith - A vet nurse, Dawn has worked in wildlife rehabilitation and conservation around the world in addition to her veterinary hospital ...
Join the Conversation