Current ACAP advice for reducing the impact of pelagic longline fishing operations on seabirds

DEBSKI, IGOR; FAVERO, MARCO; WALKER, NATHAN; WOLFAARDT, ANTON

ACT

Ronda de negocios; CCSBT Ecologically Related Species Working Group.; 2017

CCSBT

The incidental mortality of seabirds, mostly albatrosses and petrels, in longline fisheriescontinues to be a serious global concern and was the major reason for the establishmentof the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP ). ACAP routinelyreviews the scientific literature regarding seabird bycatch mitigation in fisheries, and onthe basis of these reviews updates its best practice advice. The most recent review wasconducte d in May 2016 , and this document presents a distillation of that review for theconsideration of the CCSBT Ecologically Related Species Working Group (ERSWG) ERSWG). Onthe basis of the most recent review, ACAP has confirmed that the simultaneous use ofweighted branch lines, bird scaring lines and night setting remains the best practiceapproach to mitigate seabird bycatch in pelagic longline fisheries. Changes to previousadvice apply only to the recommended minimum standards for line weighting regimesnow updated to the following configurations: (a) 40 g or greater attached within 0.5 m ofthe hook; or (b) 60 g or greater attached within 1 m of the hook; or (c) 80 g or greaterattached within 2 m of the hook. In addition, following the 2016 review ACAP e ndorsed theinclusion in the list of best practice mitigation measures of two hook shielding devices.These devices encase the point and barb of baited hooks until a prescribed depth orimmersion time has been reached (set to correspond to a depth beyond the diving rangeof most seabirds) thus prevent ing seabird s gaining access to the hook and becominghooked during line setting. They also provide additional weight, at the hook, on setting.ACAP recognizes that factors such as safety, practicality and the characteristics of thefishery should also be taken into account when considering the efficacy of seabird bycatchmitigation measures and consequently in the development of advice and guidelines onbest practice.