Project Results

About This Project

Endangered albatrosses and other seabirds are accidentally killed in longline fisheries around the world. In the Brazilian fleet we want to test Hookpods, a new technology, designed to safely deploy hooks, so they cannot be ingested by birds. We also want to test new reusable LED lights, to replace single use light sticks that are currently disposed of in the oceans in vast numbers every day contributing to marine pollution.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

Brazil has historically had high seabird bycatch in the pelagic longline fleet. Current mitigation methods have not managed to reduce the numbers of birds killed sufficiently. We want to develop new methods to reduce bycatch more effectively as seen elsewhere e.g. >99% reduction in albatrosses killed in South African demersal trawl fishery (Maree 2014).

Hookpods, which we will be testing, are easy to use and are a durable way of protecting the barb of hook during setting. It provides 1 measure to reduce bycatch. This is far simpler than the current 3 methods recommended (night setting, bird scaring lines and weighting).

We will also test the effectiveness of reusable LED lights used to attract fish. Currently disposable light sticks are discarded into the sea.

What is the significance of this project?

15 of 22 species of albatross are threatened with extinction. A major cause of decline is from death of birds in fisheries. It's estimated that at least 160,000 seabirds are killed by longline fishing annually (Anderson et al., 2011). In Brazil, tuna fishing is a major threat to seabirds and new measures are needed to improve upon the reductions already made.

Previous trials led to Hookpod being adopted into Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) recommendations as it meets minimum standards for weighting, and ensures hooks are released beyond the foraging depth of most birds. However they sought more evidence on whether effectiveness was due to increased sink rate caused by having a weight at the hook on set, or the protection of the hook point and barb.

What are the goals of the project?

The goal of Hookpod monitoring in 2017 is to evaluate the performance of the Hookpod under commercial fishing conditions in the Brazilian pelagic longline fleet. The specific objectives include recording seabird mortality and attack rate, catch rate of target fish species and the sink rate of 45g Hookpods. The reusable LED lights will be tested against the disposable light sticks for effectiveness, durability and ease of use.

The results of this will be reported to the ACAP working group at their 2017 meeting Successful testing and implementation of these technologies should lead to decreased seabird deaths and reduced marine pollution.