Spatial and temporal patterns in the bycatch of seabirds in the Argentinean longline fishery

PATRICIA GANDINI & ESTEBAN FRERE

FISHERY BULLETIN

NOAA

Año: 2006 vol. 104 p. 482 - 485

0090-0656

Longline fisheries have grown throughout the world´s oceans for more than 40 years (Brothers et al., 1999). Longlining captures: 1.) high quality fish with low by-catch of non-targeted fish 2.) mature individuals rather than unwanted juveniles, and has 3.) minimal destructive effects on bottom habitats (Brothers et al., 1999). Seabirds, however, are hooked accidentally when they swallow or are snagged on the baited hooks set by commercial longliners (Brothers, 1991; Barnes et al., 1997; Tasker et al., 2000; Belda and Sanchez 2001; Jahncke et al., 2001). Population declines of several species of albatrosses and petrels in the Southern Ocean are linked to longlining operations (Croxall and Prince, 1990; Brothers, 1991; Cherel et al., 1996). The importance of the Patagonian shelf waters as a foraging habitat for seabirds is well documented (Cooke and Mills, 1972; Veit, 1995) for particularly black-browed Albatross (Thalassarche melanophris Gales, 1998). We estimated the magnitude of seabird mortality in the kingclip fishery (Genypterus blacodes). in the Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone magnitude of seabird mortality in the kingclip fishery (Genypterus blacodes). in the Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone magnitude of seabird mortality in the kingclip fishery (Genypterus blacodes). in the Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone (Thalassarche melanophris Gales, 1998). We estimated the magnitude of seabird mortality in the kingclip fishery (Genypterus blacodes). in the Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone (Genypterus blacodes). in the Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone