Efficacy of a novel shark bycatch mitigation device in a tuna longline fishery
21 November 2022
Efficacy of a novel shark bycatch mitigation device in a tuna longline fishery
Philip D. Doherty, Robert Enever, Lucy C.M. Omeyer, Lydia Tivenan, Grant Course, Guy Pasco, David Thomas, Ben Sullivan, Ben Kibel, Pete Kibel, Brendan J. Godley
SUMMARY:
Elasmobranchs (sharks, rays, and skates) are caught throughout fisheries globally, leading to over one-third of species being threatened with extinction. Oceanic shark populations have undergone an average 71% decline over the last half century, owing to an 18-fold increase in relative fishing pressure. Incidental capture or ‘bycatch’ is a primary driver of population declines, and poses an important challenge for species conservation. This threat necessitates mitigation strategies that exist for sharks but are often focussed on haul-back and post-capture effects for longline fishing. We trialled a novel shark bycatch mitigation device (“SharkGuard”) in a commercial longline fishery targeting bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus), where bycatch consists largely of blue sharks (Prionace glauca) and pelagic stingrays (Pteroplatytrygon violacea).
Current Biology 32, R1245–R1261, DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.09.003