Exchange Profiles

The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) is a bilateral international fisheries organization established by a treaty between Canada and the United States to manage Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) stocks in the North Pacific and Bering Sea.

Arizona State University 

LIFE PROMETHEUS (PROMoting Elasmobranchs conservation THrough by-catch reduction, Ecotourism and alternative sUStainable fisheries) is a five-year European LIFE initiative designed to develop and implement innovative, practical conservation strategies for elasmobranchs in the Mediterranean Sea, by integrating scientific research, stakeholder engagement, and public awareness into a coordinated approach. LIFE PROMETHEUS brings together 21 partners from Italy, Spain, France, Greece and Cyprus under the coordination of the Università Politecnica delle Marche (Italy). The project operates across twelve areas distributed throughout the Mediterranean basin and focuses on 15 threatened shark and ray species. One of the three actions of the project regards the reduction of bycatch by testing innovative solutions while supporting the sustainability of commercial fisheries. Among the most promising approaches are magnetic and electric deterrent devices that exploit the electroreceptive sensory system of sharks and rays. Additionally, alternative sustainable fisheries (inverse soaking time in longlines targeting swordfish) will be adopted in specific areas/periods critical for the selected elasmobranch species.

The Marine Mammal Commission provides independent, science-based oversight of domestic and international policies and actions of federal agencies addressing human impacts on marine mammals and their ecosystems. Our mission is largely driven by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The MMPA was enacted in October 1972 in partial response to growing concerns among scientists and the general public that certain species and populations of marine mammals were in danger of extinction or depletion as a result of human activities. The MMPA set forth a national policy to prevent marine mammal species and population stocks from diminishing beyond the point at which they cease to be significant functioning elements of the ecosystems of which they are a part. For more about our priorities and activities, please visit our website: www.mmc.gov

For over 20 years, the MSC has provided the most widely recognized science-based certification and labelling program for sustainable fishing. The MSC Fisheries Standard is based on the FAO’s Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. Through a rigorous assessment process, MSC certification provides assurance that fish stocks are being harvested at a sustainable level, that impacts on marine ecosystems are minimized, and that fisheries are well managed.

Keiruna Inc. offers consulting services related to social-ecological assessment of marine megafauna bycatch in small-scale fisheries. This includes: designing, implementing, and training/guiding research teams on the use and analysis of interview-based Rapid Bycatch Assessments; investigating the social dimensions of bycatch, including drivers of fishing practices and interactions between conservation and communities, to guide more effective and ethical conservation action; evaluating the social and ecological impacts of conservation projects. This work is informed by experience evaluating bycatch issues primarily in Southeast Asia, as well as Madagascar and Mexico.

Novatec Braids Ltd is a privately held manufacturer of Novabraid Braided Ropes with a specific focus on commercial fishing solutions.  Located in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia Canada, Novatec Braids has worked tirelessly to develop ropes to enhance sustainable productivity within the fishing industry and created innovative products to protect marine mammals through cooperative efforts with marine scientists, regulatory agencies, and fishing industry groups.  Beginning in 2014, Novatec Braids worked jointly with the Massachusetts South Shore Lobstermen’s Association to produce the SSL 2.0 low strength breakaway link, allowing fishermen to augment their existing vertical lines with an engineered rope “fuses” that would part when subjected to a load equivalent to that of a whale entanglement.  After lengthy scientific studies, Novabraid is ready to provide the links in an assortment of sizes and ID color flecks with the goal of protecting migratory whale species from entanglement, identifying gear from specific fisheries, while allowing lobster and crab fishermen to continue making their livelihood from our oceans.   We continue to work with advocacy groups along with industry partners interested in protecting whale species through other methodologies and can provide ultra-high modulus, small diameter cord for electronic “ropeless” fishing options as well as oceanographic research deployment and recovery lines.

Pesca Blue is a grassroots organization in Pacific Mexico that co-designs regenerative blue economic opportunities with small-scale fishing communities in exchange for their voluntary efforts in marine conservation.  Specifically, our scientific team collaborates select fishing families to reduce bycatch of sea turtles, sharks, rays, and crocodiles by monitoring bycatch and identifying hotspots where fishing activities can be avoided or modified and incorporating technology such as LED lights for gillnets, pingers for longlines, and other bycatch reduction devices for traps and trawls.  Pesca.Blue is developing a digital storytelling marketplace to connect eco-conscious consumers with the fishing families to directly purchase seafood at a premium price and purchase other products created from fish waste (i.e. pet treats, pet supplements, biofertilizers) or services in pescatourism and research support.