Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity Annual Review 2012

AEBAR 2012: Non-protected bycatch
Table 6.2: Species composition of observed tuna longline catches. Number of fish observed are shown for
2006-07 to 2009-10 and all fish observed since 1988-89. Top 30 species.
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2006–07 to Total
Species Scientific Name
2009–10 number
Blue shark Prionace glauca 38162 182628
Albacore tuna Thunnus alalunga 9854 101316
Rays bream Brama brama 25277 98205
Southern bluefin tuna Thunnus maccoyii 10373 43291
Porbeagle shark Lamna nasus 2235 19011
Dealfish Trachipterus trachypterus 2304 17185
Lancetfish Alepisaurus ferox & A. brevirostris 5661 14383
Moonfish Lampris guttatus 1683 9134
Deepwater dogfish Squaliformes 1600 9112
Swordfish Xiphias gladius 2213 8286
Big scale pomfret Taractichthys longipinnis 2954 7818
Oilfish Ruvettus pretiosus 711 7542
Mako shark Isurus oxyrinchus 1676 6162
Rudderfish Centrolophus niger 373 4907
Butterfly tuna Gasterochisma melampus 617 4469
Escolar Lepidocybium flavobrunneum 643 4422
Bigeye tuna Thunnus obesus 1240 4390
School shark Galeorhinus galeus 419 3620
Yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares 97 3342
Sunfish Mola mola 1000 2755
Pelagic stingray Pteroplatytrygon violacea 585 2398
Hoki Macruronus novaezelandiae 265 2021
Thresher shark Alopias vulpinus 169 1400
Skipjack tuna Katsuwonus pelamis 38 1151
Dolphinfish Coryphaena hippurus 134 608
Flathead pomfret Taractes asper 158 516
Striped marlin Tetrapturus audax 59 468
Black barracouta Nesiarchus nasutus 51 386
Barracouta Thyrsites atun 10 357
Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis 34 222
Most blue, porbeagle, mako, and school sharks were processed in some way, either being finned or
retained for their flesh, but there were significant fleet differences. Blue sharks were mainly just
finned. Most albacore, swordfish, yellowfin tuna, moonfish and Ray’s bream were retained. Most
bigscale pomfret, escolar, oilfish and rudderfish were discarded, with some year and fleet differences.
Almost all deepwater dogfish, dealfish, and lancetfish were discarded.
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