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A series of 14 Seabird Bycatch Mitigation Fact-sheets which describes the range of potential mitigation measures available to reduce seabird bycatch in both pelagic and demersal longline and trawl fisheries has been added to this web site (click here).

The fact-sheets assess the effectiveness of each measure, highlight their limitations and strengths, and make best-practice recommendations for their effective adoption.  They are designed to help decision-makers choose the most appropriate measures for their demersal and pelagic longline and trawl fisheries.  An introductory sheet describes the problem and lists the 14 individual fact-sheets.

The fact-sheets have been produced as a joint effort between ACAP and BirdLife International with input from Sea Grant Washington.

The following mitigation measures are covered in detail by the individual fact-sheets:

1. Streamer lines (demersal longlining)
2. Line weighting - external weights (demersal longlining)
3. Integrated weight longlines (demersal longlining)
4. Line weighting - Chilean system (demersal longlining)
5. Night-setting (demersal and pelagic longlining)
6. Underwater setting chute (demersal longlining)
7. Streamer lines (pelagic longlining
8. Line-weighting (pelagic longlining)
9. Side-setting (pelagic longlining)
10. Blue-dyed bait (pelagic longlining)
11. Bait-caster and line shooter (pelagic longlining)
12. Haul mitigation (demersal and pelagic longlining)
13. Warp strikes (trawling)
14. Net entanglements (trawling)

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 22 June 2010