Search The Database
| Location | Gear | Catch | Technique | Bycatch species | Type | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Strait of Sicily |
Hooks and Lines
|
Swordfish |
Circle hooks
|
Caretta caretta (Loggerhead turtle) | Field study in the wild | The use of circle hooks (16/0) instead of J hooks (size 2) on pelagic longline gear, reduced the incidental capture of immature loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) and did not affect the catch rates or fish size of the target species (primarily swordfish (Xiphias gladius) and tuna (Thunnus spp.)). There was also a significant difference in hook location between the two hooks, with more J hooks being swallowed. Circle hooks reduced the incidental capture of immature sea turtles |
Northeastern Australia |
Hooks and Lines
|
Bigeye and yellowfin tuna |
Alternative leader design
|
Sharks | Field study in the wild | Catch rates of blue marlin (Makaira nigricans), snake mackerel (Gempylus serpens), and sharks were lower when nylon monofilament leaders, instead of wire leaders, were used on pelagic longline gear, but bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) and black marlin (Makaira indica) catch rates increased. There was no effect on yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares). Nylon leaders also had higher bite-off rates than the wire leaders. Wire leaders had higher catch rates of sharks when compared to nylon monofilament leaders |
Australia |
Trawls
|
Tiger prawn (Penaeus spp.) |
Excluder devices
|
Bony Fishes, Juvenile or Non-target fishes (not always specified to species level), Invertebrates, Corals, sponges, other benthic invertebrates (not specified to species level), Sea Snakes | Field study in the wild | The Yarrow Fisheye Bycatch Reduction Device reduced the weight of small bycatch by an average of 22.7% and the number of sea snakes caught by an average of 43.3%, with no loss of tiger prawn (Penaeus spp.). Reduced mean weight of small bycatch and mean number of sea snakes caught |
Florida |
Traps
|
Blue crabs |
Trap guards (T-bars, otter guards)
|
Terrapins | Field study in the wild | This study determined that 73.2% of diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) captured during the study could have been prevented from entering blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) pots if bycatch reduction devices (BRDs) had been used. There was no significant difference in the sex, size or number of crabs captured in pots fitted with BRDs. The use of bycatch reduction devices would reduce incidental capture of diamondback terrapins |
Western Australia |
Trawls
|
Red emperor (Lutjanus sebae), Scarlet sea perch (Lutjanus malabaricus), spangled emperor (Lethrinus nebulosus), rankin cod (Epinephelus multinotatus), blue-spotted emperor (Lethrinus punctulatus), rosy threadfin bream (Nemipterus furcosus), others |
Excluder devices
|
Small Cetaceans (maximum length < 7.5 meters), Tursiops truncatus (Bottlenose dolphin) | Field study in the wild | A semi-flexible exclusion grid with a bar spacing of 15.5 cm reduced dolphin bycatch in the Pilbara trawl fishery by close to 50% and reduced the bycatch of sea turtles, large sharks and rays. However, the fate of the dolphins that encountered the grid and escaped is unknown. Reduced dolphin bycatch by almost 50% and reduced bycatch of sea turtles, large sharks and large rays |
Norway |
Hooks and Lines
|
Torsk (Brosme brosme), ling (Molva molva) and haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) |
Bird-scaring devices
|
Seabirds | Field study in the wild | Bird-scaring lines, underwater setting and line shooters all reduced the incidental capture of seabirds, with bird-scaring lines being the most effective. These mitigation measures also reduced bait loss and increased the catch rates of target species. Reduced incidental capture of seabirds, mostly fulmars |
Norway |
Hooks and Lines
|
Torsk (Brosme brosme), ling (Molva molva) and haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) |
Sub-surface sets (gillnets)
|
Seabirds | Field study in the wild | Bird-scaring lines, underwater setting and line shooters all reduced the incidental capture of seabirds, with bird-scaring lines being the most effective. These mitigation measures also reduced bait loss and increased the catch rates of target species. Reduced incidental capture of seabirds, mostly fulmars |
Norway |
Hooks and Lines
|
Torsk (Brosme brosme), ling (Molva molva) and haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) |
Bait-casting mechanisms
Bird-scaring devices
Sub-surface bait setting
|
Seabirds, Fulmarus glacialis (Northern fulmar) | Field study in the wild | Bird-scaring lines, underwater setting and line shooters all reduced the incidental capture of seabirds, with bird-scaring lines being the most effective. These mitigation measures also reduced bait loss and increased the catch rates of target species. Reduced incidental capture of seabirds, mostly fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) |
Pamlico Sound, North Carolina |
Gillnets and Entangling Nets
|
flounder |
Low profile gillnet
|
Sea Turtles | Field study in the wild | Low profile gillnets with a panel height of six feet and no tie downs or additional floats had significantly fewer interactions with sea turtles and caught significantly less bycatch than standard gillnets. Catches of the target species (flounder) were also reduced in the low profile gillnets. Reduced incidental capture of sea turtles and bycatch species |
Pamlico Sound, North Carolina (U.S.) |
Gillnets and Entangling Nets
|
Flounder |
Sub-surface sets (gillnets)
|
Sea Turtles | Field study in the wild | Low profile gillnets with a panel height of six feet and no tie downs or additional floats had significantly fewer interactions with sea turtles and caught significantly less bycatch than standard gillnets. Catches of the target species (flounder) were also reduced in the low profile gillnets. Reduced incidental capture of sea turtles and other bycatch species |