Dr. Rebecca Lent - Seafood Choices Alliance

Bycatch in Global Tuna Fisheries:
Role of governments and RFMOs
Rebecca Lent
Director
NOAA Fisheries International Affairs

Overview
US Measures to address bycatch
Tuna RFMO Measures to Reduce Bycatch
Next Steps
2

US Measures to Address Bycatch
Assess
Mitigate
— Observers and logbooks
— At-sea research
— Stranding data
— Bycatch estimates
— How: Research, cooperation
— What: time/area closures, gear
modifications, others
Re-assess
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Other measures
Catch Shares: reduce overall fishing effort, can address
bycatch, and end the race to fish
Incentive-style measures
Magnuson-Stevens Identification/Certification Program:
Helps address international bycatch and ensure other
nations have measures comparable to the U.S.
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Why international cooperation?
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Tuna RFMO Bycatch Measures
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Tuna RFMO Bycatch Measures
Distribution of Green Turtles:
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RFMO Measures to Address Bycatch
CCSBT:
Encourage collection and submission of
relevant bycatch information
Recommend implementation of IPOAs on
Seabirds and Sharks and FAO Guidelines
on Sea turtles
Use of bycatch mitigation measures (e.g.
tori lines) to reduce bycatch of seabirds
Education materials for fishing industry on
seabirds and sea turtles
8

RFMO Measures to Address Bycatch
IATTC:
Retention of juvenile fish and
encourages research
Release all other non-target bycatch,
unharmed, as practicable
Implement FAO Guidelines on sea
turtles and encourage reporting on
bycatch
Recommend reporting bycatch of
seabirds and IPOA implementation
Develop NPOA on sharks and research
ways to reduce bycatch
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RFMO Measures to Address Bycatch
ICCAT:
Encourages research on circle hooks,
reporting of bycatch and sea turtle nesting
areas, information on mitigation measures
Release of sea turtle bycatch, unharmed,
as practicable, including resuscitation
Use of bycatch mitigation measures (e.g.
tori lines) to reduce bycatch of seabirds
and encourage joint work with FAO
Reporting of interactions with seabirds
Encourage live release of shark bycatch
and implementation of the FAO IPOA
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RFMO Measures to Address Bycatch
IOTC:
Collect and report information on sea turtle
bycatch; report progress on FAO Guidelines on
Sea Turtles
Release of sea turtle bycatch, unharmed, as
practicable
Use of multiple bycatch mitigation measures to
reduce bycatch of seabirds and reporting on
interactions
Encourage implementation and reporting on
IPOA seabirds
Encourage bycatch of sharks be released alive
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RFMO Measures to Address Bycatch
WCPFC:
Implement and report on progress for
NPOA on sharks, seabirds and FAO
Guidelines on sea turtles
Avoid catch of sea turtles but if captured,
release, including resuscitation of sea
turtles on board, if practicable
Requires gear and or bait modifications to
reduce bycatch of turtles
Use of multiple bycatch mitigation
measures to reduce bycatch of seabirds
and reporting of interactions
Encourage the live release of incidental
catches of sharks
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Improving RFMO Measures
Improved data collection
Greater assessment of levels of bycatch and ecosystem
impacts
From voluntary to binding management measures
Improved enforcement and capacity building
Stronger international collaboration across/between
RFMOs
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Next Steps to Address these Gaps
International bycatch meetings:
—International Tuna
Conference (May 2010)
—Kobe II Bycatch Workshop
(June 2010)
—Circle Hook Workshop
(early 2011)
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Merci beaucoup!
Questions or
comments?