Ninth Meeting of the Seabird Bycatch Working Group.

FAVERO, M.; SECO PON, J. P.; COPELLO, S.; PAZ, J.; BLANCO, G.

2019-05-14/2020-05-19

Biológica

Rec.Nat.Renov.-Conservacion y preservacion

Although seabird mortality in Argentine longline and demersal trawl fisheries has already been characterized and quantified, the interactions with pelagic trawl fisheries targeting anchovy (Engraulis anchoita) remains unknown. The goal of this study was to characterize seabird assemblages attending pelagic trawl vessels and to analyse their interactions. Datawere obtained by on‐board observers during three consecutive fishery runs, 2011?2013.Seabird abundance averaged 157.3 ± 229.7 birds per haul, including 23 species.Procellariiform followed by Charadriiform birds were the more frequent and abundantgroups. The most represented species of these groups were the Black‐browed albatross(Thalassarche melanophris), shearwaters (Ardenna spp. and Puffinus spp.), White-chinned petrel (Procellaria aequinoctialis), and the Kelp gull (Larus dominicanus). Seabird interactions with the vessel and/or fishing gear occurred in approximately 70% of the observations, with most of these representing interactions with the net (92%). The estimated contact rate was 16.7 birds h−1 per haul. A total of 121 birds were by‐caught and the average mortality rate was 0.55 birds h−1 per haul. Shearwaters and the Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) were the main by‐caught species, followed by black‐browed albatrosses and white‐chinned petrels. The interactions increased in the presence of fishing discards and during haulback operations.