Progress report for
A joint ACCOBAMS/GFCM approach to mitigate bycatch and depredation in the Mediterranean Sea
Achievement at a glance
The project Mitigating interactions between endangered marine species and fishing activities was concluded in 2018.Based on a participatory approach implemented by six national partners with fishers, eight pilot actions across five countries contributed to gathering data and information on the interactions between endangered marine species (sea turtles, seabirds, pelagic sharks and rays, and cetaceans) and fisheries. After a preliminary phase during which data were collected and main issues were identified, possible fisheries mitigation measures were implemented to reduce the incidental catch of endangered marine species and decrease depredation in a number of fisheries.
In parallel, capacity-building and eco-tourism activities were developed. Trainings and workshops were organized to improve the skills and increase the knowledge of pilot actions coordinators in dealing with the stakeholders (e.g. fishing community) and in handling incidentally caught animals. Demonstration projects for fishing-tourism and whale watching were carried out in close coordination with fishers organizations, national authorities, and local non-governmental organizations to evaluate their feasibility.
In addition to the practical case studies, a review of bycatch rates of endangered species was compiled to present the most significant results of studies published on bycatch of endangered marine species in Mediterranean and Black Sea fisheries. A review of fisheries bycatch mitigation measures was also prepared, compiling information on mitigation solutions and techniques tested worldwide for the most impacting fisheries (static nets, longlines, trawls and purse seines), for each taxa of vulnerable species involved in bycatch or depredation. Illustrated and water-proof good practice guides for handling vulnerable species caught incidentally in Mediterranean fisheries were produced in Arabic, English and French (FAO and ACCOBAMS, 2018), specifically designed for fishers to support them in releasing animals from fishing gear, handling them once onboard the fishing vessel and registering the events in the logbook.
Challenges faced in implementation
Given the limited resources allocated to each pilot action in this project, it was not possible to implement equal monitoring efforts across the different pilot actions. Yet, for some of the national partners involved, these pilot actions represented a first attempt to establish a cooperative framework between researchers and fishers to better understand and to assess the interactions between endangered marine species and fisheries. All of this contributed to building a regional network of expertise and to supporting the development of future activities.Beneficiaries
The main beneficiaries targeted by this project were the national scientists and experts involved in the pilot actions, in data collection and the implementation of field work. Fishers and representatives of the fisheries management authorities also benefited of some project activities, in particular in awareness raising related to the conservation of endangered species.
Actions
A training workshop on technical measures to mitigate interactions of endangered species with fisheries and to reduce post-capture mortality was organized. The aim of this workshop was to provide the coordinators of the pilot actions with a background on experiences with bycatch mitigation techniques and veterinary issues occurring with marine animals entangled in fishing nets.The good practice guides for handling sea turtles, seabirds, pelagic sharks and rays, and cetaceans caught incidentally in Mediterranean fisheries were distributed to the fishers involved in the pilot actions.