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A paper published on-line last year in the journal Animal Conservation on the incidental catch of seabirds by Taiwanese longliners estimated that “the total seabird incidental mortality from pelagic longline fishing in the southern Atlantic Ocean to be between 3446 and 6083 birds per year from 2004 to 2008” (click here).

Rebecca Lewison (Institute for Ecological Monitoring & Management, San Diego State University) and Richard Phillips (British Antarctic Survey) have published separate commentaries in the same journal on the paper by Y.-M. Yeh et. al.  Both commentators call for improvements to the quality and quantity of data collected by observers on pelagic longliners, to allow for the better identification of species affected and for more rigorous analyses.

“Only then will they be sufficient for comprehensive by-catch assessments, and adequate monitoring of vessel compliance and the effectiveness of recommended by-catch mitigation at ocean basin scales.”

References:

Lewison, R.L. 2013. Finding the missing pieces: working to solve the fisheries bycatch puzzle. Animal Conservation DOI: 10.1111/acv.12040.

Phillips, R.A. 2013. Requisite improvements to the estimation of seabird by-catch in pelagic longline fisheries. Animal Conservation DOI: 10.1111/acv.12042.

Yeh, Y.-M., Huang, H.-W., Dietrich, K.S.&Melvin, E.2012. Estimates of seabird incidental catch by pelagic longline fisheries in the South Atlantic Ocean..  Animal Conservation DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-1795.2012.00588.x.

With thanks to Barry Baker for information.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 22 April 2013