Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

On bycatches

  • Published:
Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper attempts to provide a synthesis of several issues relevant to the study and management of bycatches. It includes a proposed set of definitions for the different fractions of the harvest (catch, bycatch, release) and for other impacts of the fishing process, either at sea or in port. It also provides a system for the classification of bycatches that shows some basic similarities and differences among fisheries.

The classifications are based on different criteria, including the degree of spatial or temporal ‘aggregation’ of bycatches, the degree of control that the fishers have, the frequency of occurrence, its predictability, its ecological or random origin, the level of impact of bycatches, and whether bycatches are the result of market conditions or regulations.

One of the main issues to address in plans to deal with bycatches is defining the objectives to be pursued. These objectives can include ecological or socio-economic goals, and some of the possible goals are briefly discussed. Once the targets are set, it is necessary to find the strategies to achieve them. The bycatch process is quite simple because it has only two controls: the average impact per unit of effort and the total level of effort. The definition of effort used is not always equivalent to the one used in fisheries models.

If a decision is made to reduce the ecological impacts of a fishery, three sets of tools are available to achieve it, acting over the two controls mentioned above: technology, training of fishers, and management measures. Five possible lines of defence are available to reduce bycatches: (1) increasing the selectivity of the fishery by choices of gear, areas, or seasons; (2) modifying deployment conditions; (3) increasing the fraction released alive either from the gear, or (4) later, from the deck; or (5) increasing the utilization to make catches out of the incidental captures.

One of the options more commonly used to manage fisheries problems is the development of incentive/disincentive programmes, with both positive and negative responses applied to the fishers in accordance to their level of performance. Some examples are mentioned.

Some of the challenges facing scientists, managers, the fishing industry and the environmental community to tackle the bycatch problems in coming years are also presented.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alverson, D.L., Freeberg, M.H., Pope, J.G. and Murawski, S.A. (1994) A global assessment of fisheries bycatch and discards. Rome: FAO, FAO Fish. tech. Pap. No. 339. 233 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrew, N.L. and Pepperell, J.G. (1992) The by-catch of shrimp trawl fisheries. Oceanogr. mar. Biol. ann. Rev. 30, 527–565.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrew, N.L., Kennelly, S.J. and Broadhurst, M.K. (1993) An application of the Morrison soft TED to the offshore prawn fishery in New South Wales, Australia. Fish. Res. 16, 101–111.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anonymous. (1995) Report of the Study Group on Ecosystem Effects of Fishing Activities. I.C.E.S. Coop. Res. Rept. No. 200. 120 pp. September 1995.

  • Au, D. (1991) Polyspecific nature of tuna schools: shark, dolphin, and seabird associates. Fish. Bull., U.S. 89, 343–354.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barlow, J., Swartz, S.L., Eagle, T.C. and Wade, P.R. (1995) U.S. Marine mammal stock assessments: guidelines for preparation, background, and a summary of the 1995 assessments. NOAA tech. Memo. NMFS-OPR-6, September 1995.

  • Beltestad, A.K. and Misund, O.A. (1993) Sorting of mackerel by grids in purse seines and trawls. Fisken-Havet, No. 8, 21 pp. (in Norwegian with English summary).

  • Ben-Yami, M. (1994) Purse Seining Manual. Oxford: Fishing News Books. 406 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Broadhurst, M.K. and Kennelly, S.J. (1994) Reducing the by-catch of juvenile fish (mulloway Argyrosomus hololepidotus) using square-mesh panels in codends in the Hawkesbury River prawn-trawl fishery, Australia. Fish. Res. 19, 321–331.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coe, J.M. and Sousa, G. (1972) Removing porpoises from a tuna purse seine. Mar. Fish. Rev. 34(11–12), 15–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coe, J.M., Holts, D.B. and Butler, R.W. (1984) The ‘tuna-porpoise’ problem: NMFS dolphin mortality reduction research, 1970–81. Mar. Fish. Rev. 46, 18–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crowley, M. (1994) What's new in TEDs? National Fisherman (August 1994), 34–36.

  • Francis, R.C., Awbrey, FT., Goudey, C.L., Hall, M.A., King, D.M., Medina, H., Norris, K.S., Orbach, M.K., Payne, R. and Pikitch, E. (1992) Dolphins and the Tuna Industry. Washington, DC: National Research Council, National Academy Press. 176 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guillory, V. and Hutton, G. (1982) A survey of bycatch in the Louisiana Gulf Menhaden fishery. Proc. 36th Ann. Conf. Southeast. Assoc. Fish-Wildl. Agencies (SEAFWA). Jacksonville, Florida, Oct. 31–Nov. 3, 1982. pp. 213–223.

  • Hall, M.A. and Boyer, S.D. (1988) Incidental mortality of dolphins in the eastern tropical Pacific tuna fishery in 1986. Rep. int. Whal. Commn 38, 439–441.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall, M.A. (1995a) A classification of bycatch problems and some approaches to their solutions. Report of the Workshop held at the Fisheries Centre, Univ. of British Columbia, November 1994. Vancouver: Fisheries Centre.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall, M.A. (1995b) Strategies to reduce the incidental mortality of marine mammals and other species in fisheries. (Dev. Mar. Biol., Vol. IV) (eds A.S. Blix, L. Walløe and ø. Ulltang) Amsterdam: Elsevier. pp. 537–544.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall, M.A. and Boyer, S.D. (1986) Incidental mortality of dolphins in the eastern tropical Pacific tuna fishery: description of a new method and estimation of 1984 mortality. Rep. int. Whal. Commn 36, 375–381.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jefferson, T.A. and Curry, B.E. (1994) A global review of porpoise (Cetacea: Phocoenidae) mortality in gillnets. Biol. Conserv. 67, 167–183.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joseph, J. (1994) The tuna-dolphin controversy in the eastern Pacific Ocean: biological, economic and political impacts. Ocean Dev. int. Law 25, 1–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim, J.O. and Choo, H.D. (1993) A study on the fish behavior control by air-bubble curtains. Bull. Nat. Fish. Res. Dev. Agency 47, 241–249. (in Korean with English summary).

    Google Scholar 

  • Klinowska, M. (1991) Dolphin, Porpoises and Whales of the World. The IUCN Red Data Book. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. 429 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lennert, C. and Hall, M.A. (1995) Estimates of incidental mortality of dolphins in the eastern Pacific Ocean tuna fishery in 1993. Rep. int. Whal. Commn 45, 387–390.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lennert, C. and Hall, M.A. (1996) Estimates of incidental mortality of dolphins in the eastern Pacific Ocean tuna fishery in 1994. Paper SC/47/SM1 presented to the IWC Scientific Committee, June 1995. (in press).

  • Lien, J. (1994) Entrapments of larger cetaceans in passive inshore fishing gear in Newfoundland and Labrador (1979–1990). In Perrin, W.F., Donovan, G. and Barlow, J. eds, Gillnets and Cetaceans (Int. Whal. Commn Special Issue No. 15). Cambridge: IWC. pp. 149–157.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lien, J., Hood, C., Pittman, D., Ruel, P., Borggaard, D., Chisholm, C., Wiesner, L., Mahon, T. and Mitchell, D. (1995) Field tests of acoustic devices on groundfish gillnets: assessment of effectiveness in reducing harbour porpoise by-catch. In Kastelein, R., Thomas, J.A. and Nachtigal, P.E. eds. Sensory Systems of Aquatic Mammals Woerden, The Netherlands: De Spil Publishers. pp. 349–364.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lo, N.C.H. and Smith, T.D. (1986) Incidental mortality of dolphins in the eastern tropical Pacific, 1959–1972. Fish. Bull. U.S. 84, 27–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lockwood, S.J., Pawson, M.G. and Eaton, D.R. (1983) The effects of crowding on mackerel (Scomber scombrus L.) — physical condition and mortality. Fish. Res. 2, 129–147.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCaughran, D.A. (1992) Standardized nomenclature and methods of defining by catch levels and implications. In Schoning, R.W., Jacobson, R.W., Alverson, D.L., Gentle, T.H. and Auyong, J., eds. Proceedings of the National Industry Bycatch Workshop. Newport, Oregon, February 4–6, 1992. Seattle, WA: Natural Resources Consultants, pp. 200–201.

    Google Scholar 

  • Merino, J.M. (1991) La Pesca Desde la Prehistoria Hasta Nuestros Días, 2a. edición. Servicio Central de Publicaciones del Gobierno Vasco. Depto. de Agriculture y Pesca, Administración de la Comunidad Autônoma del Pais Vasco. 494 pp.

  • Misund, O.A. and Skeide, R. (1992) Grid-sorting of penned saithe. ICES C.M. 1992/B:11, 5 pp.

  • Northridge, S.P. (1984) World review of interactions between marine mammals and fisheries. Rome: FAO, FAO Fish. tech. Pap. No. 251. 190 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Northridge, S.P. (1991) An updated world review of interactions between marine mammals and fisheries. Rome: FAO, FAO Fish. tech. Pap. No. 251, Suppl. 1. 58 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pawson, M.G. and Lockwood, S.J. (1980) Mortality of mackerel following physical stress, and its probable cause. Rapp. P.-v. Réun. Cons. int. Explor. Mer 177, 439–443.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perrin, W.F., Donovan, G.P. and Barlow, J. (eds) (1994a). Gillnets and Cetaceans (Rep. int. Whal. Commn, Spec. Issue 15). Cambridge: IWC. 629 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perrin, W.F., Donovan, G.P. and Barlow, J. (eds) (1994b). Report of the workshop on mortality of cetaceans in passive fishing nets and traps. In Perrin, W.F., Donovan, G.P. and Barlow, J. (eds) Gillnets and Cetaceans (Rep. int. Whal. Commn, Spec. Issue 15). Cambridge: IWC. pp. 1–71.

  • Punsly, R. (1987) Estimation of relative annual abundance of yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares, in the eastern Pacific Ocean during 1970–1985. Inter-Amer. Trop. Tuna Comm. Bull., 19(3), 261–306.

    Google Scholar 

  • Punsly, R.G., Tomlinson, P.K. and Mullen, A.J. (1994) Potential tuna catches in the eastern Pacific Ocean from schools not associated with dolphins. Fish. Bull. U.S. 92, 132–143.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, K.A. (1964) The use of air-bubble curtains as an aid to fishing. In Modern Fishing Gear of the World, Vol. 2. pp. 540–544. London: Fishing News (Books).

  • Van Waebereek, K. and Reyes, J.C. (1994) Post-ban small cetacean takes off Peru: a review. In Perrin, W.F., Donovan, G.P. and Barlow, J. (eds) Gillnets and Cetaceans (Rep. int. Whal. Commn, Spec. Issue 15). Cambridge: IWC. pp. 503–519.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vidal, O. (1993) Aquatic mammal conservation in Latin America: Problems and Perspectives. Conserv. Biol. 7, 788–795.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wade, P.R. and Gerrodette, T. (1993) Estimates of cetacean abundance and distribution in the eastern tropical Pacific. Rep. int. Whal. Commn. 43, 477–493.

    Google Scholar 

  • Young, N.M., Iudicello, S., Evans, K. and Baur, D. (1993) The Incidental Capture of Marine Mammals in U.S. Fisheries: Problems and Solutions. Washington D.C.: Center for Marine Conservation, 415 pp.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, 8604 La Jolla Shores Drive, 92037-1508, La Jolla, CA, USA

    Martin A. Hall

Authors
  1. Martin A. Hall
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hall, M.A. On bycatches. Rev Fish Biol Fisheries 6, 319–352 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00122585

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00122585

Keywords

Search

Navigation