Compiling bycatch data on turtles
Six of seven species of sea turtles are considered critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable. Factors such as human consumption of meat and eggs, predation on eggs, nesting disturbance, climate change, marine pollution and boat collisions all have contributed to declines in sea turtle populations, but interaction with fishing gear is considered to be one of the most serious threats.
Most fishers do not record sea turtles as bycatch in logbooks, and the observer datasets which do record them are often maintained and analysed individually by national observer programmes. The confidentiality of data is a major obstacle to assessing and mitigating bycatch.
In February, the first in a series of joint analysis workshops was held to trial new ways of respecting data confidentiality while at the same time combining data sets for maximum analytical power. The workshop was intended to characterize current or baseline sea turtle interaction and mortality rates under existing fishing operations.
Participants from 14 countries including the Cook Islands, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea and Tonga attended.
The workshop dataset may be the world’s largest compilation of data to date on longline fisheries and sea turtle interactions involving over 2,300 turtles caught by 31 fleets between 1989-2015.
Demonstrating new initiatives for data sharing is one of the most important steps the Common Oceans (ABNJ) Tuna Project can take toward reducing bycatch and conserving biodiversity in the world’s tuna fisheries. The project team hopes to build on this initial success with Pacific sea turtles across oceans, fisheries and taxa in the remaining years of the project.
The workshop was hosted by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, supported by the Common Oceans (ABNJ) Tuna Project. ABNJ is a project supported by FAO and its partners.
By the end of the workshop when data access permissions expired participants had produced all of the input necessary to estimate interactions and mortality for four species of sea turtles across the entire Western and Central Pacific Ocean. A second workshop, tentatively planned for August 2016, will focus on producing and refining these estimates and on recommending potential policy and data improvements.
For additional information, contact:
Dr Shelley Clarke, Common Oceans Tuna Project Technical Coordinator-Sharks and Bycatch
[email protected]
Mr Alejandro Anganuzzi, Global Coordinator for the Common Oceans Tuna Project
[email protected]