Incidental capture of leatherback sea turtles in fixed fishing gear off Atlantic Canada
Abstract Incidental capture in commercial fishing gear is a threat to many populations of marine megafauna, including sea turtles. While research has largely focused on pelagic longline impacts on sea turtles, fixed‐gear fisheries are a significant, historically understudied source of injury and mor...
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crwiley:10.1002/aqc.2733 2024-06-02T08:10:46+00:00 Incidental capture of leatherback sea turtles in fixed fishing gear off Atlantic Canada Hamelin, Kayla M. James, Michael C. Ledwell, Wayne Huntington, Julie Martin, Kathleen 2017 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aqc.2733 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Faqc.2733 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/aqc.2733 en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems volume 27, issue 3, page 631-642 ISSN 1052-7613 1099-0755 journal-article 2017 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.2733 2024-05-03T10:54:18Z Abstract Incidental capture in commercial fishing gear is a threat to many populations of marine megafauna, including sea turtles. While research has largely focused on pelagic longline impacts on sea turtles, fixed‐gear fisheries are a significant, historically understudied source of injury and mortality. The present study assesses the interaction of endangered leatherback sea turtles ( Dermochelys coriacea ) with fixed‐gear fisheries in high‐latitude seasonal foraging habitat where sub‐adult and adult turtles aggregate. Records of leatherback‐fishery interactions ( n = 205) were compiled from databases of publicly‐reported sea turtle sightings in Atlantic Canada (1998–2014) to identify the spatio‐temporal distribution of these events; to identify corresponding fisheries and gear types; and to describe the mechanics and outcomes of entanglements in fixed gear. Most reports came from coastal Nova Scotia ( n = 136) and Newfoundland ( n = 40), with reporting rates peaking in the mid‐to‐late 2000s. The majority of entanglements were reported during the summer months of July and August when leatherbacks are seasonally resident and several fisheries are active in continental shelf waters. Entanglements were most commonly reported in pot gear (e.g . snow crab, lobster, whelk) and trap nets (e.g . mackerel), reflecting extensive use of polypropylene lines distributed in the upper water column where leatherback foraging activity is concentrated. Given reporting biases and uncertainty regarding post‐release survivorship, entanglement mortalities should be considered a gross underestimate of true mortality rates. This study highlights both the importance of looking beyond pelagic longlines to evaluate leatherback interactions with fixed‐gear fisheries in high‐use continental shelf foraging habitat, and of involving the fishing industry in developing mitigation measures to reduce entanglement rates and associated turtle mortality. Article in Journal/Newspaper Newfoundland Snow crab Wiley Online Library Canada Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 27 3 631 642 |
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Wiley Online Library |
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crwiley |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract Incidental capture in commercial fishing gear is a threat to many populations of marine megafauna, including sea turtles. While research has largely focused on pelagic longline impacts on sea turtles, fixed‐gear fisheries are a significant, historically understudied source of injury and mortality. The present study assesses the interaction of endangered leatherback sea turtles ( Dermochelys coriacea ) with fixed‐gear fisheries in high‐latitude seasonal foraging habitat where sub‐adult and adult turtles aggregate. Records of leatherback‐fishery interactions ( n = 205) were compiled from databases of publicly‐reported sea turtle sightings in Atlantic Canada (1998–2014) to identify the spatio‐temporal distribution of these events; to identify corresponding fisheries and gear types; and to describe the mechanics and outcomes of entanglements in fixed gear. Most reports came from coastal Nova Scotia ( n = 136) and Newfoundland ( n = 40), with reporting rates peaking in the mid‐to‐late 2000s. The majority of entanglements were reported during the summer months of July and August when leatherbacks are seasonally resident and several fisheries are active in continental shelf waters. Entanglements were most commonly reported in pot gear (e.g . snow crab, lobster, whelk) and trap nets (e.g . mackerel), reflecting extensive use of polypropylene lines distributed in the upper water column where leatherback foraging activity is concentrated. Given reporting biases and uncertainty regarding post‐release survivorship, entanglement mortalities should be considered a gross underestimate of true mortality rates. This study highlights both the importance of looking beyond pelagic longlines to evaluate leatherback interactions with fixed‐gear fisheries in high‐use continental shelf foraging habitat, and of involving the fishing industry in developing mitigation measures to reduce entanglement rates and associated turtle mortality. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Hamelin, Kayla M. James, Michael C. Ledwell, Wayne Huntington, Julie Martin, Kathleen |
spellingShingle |
Hamelin, Kayla M. James, Michael C. Ledwell, Wayne Huntington, Julie Martin, Kathleen Incidental capture of leatherback sea turtles in fixed fishing gear off Atlantic Canada |
author_facet |
Hamelin, Kayla M. James, Michael C. Ledwell, Wayne Huntington, Julie Martin, Kathleen |
author_sort |
Hamelin, Kayla M. |
title |
Incidental capture of leatherback sea turtles in fixed fishing gear off Atlantic Canada |
title_short |
Incidental capture of leatherback sea turtles in fixed fishing gear off Atlantic Canada |
title_full |
Incidental capture of leatherback sea turtles in fixed fishing gear off Atlantic Canada |
title_fullStr |
Incidental capture of leatherback sea turtles in fixed fishing gear off Atlantic Canada |
title_full_unstemmed |
Incidental capture of leatherback sea turtles in fixed fishing gear off Atlantic Canada |
title_sort |
incidental capture of leatherback sea turtles in fixed fishing gear off atlantic canada |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aqc.2733 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Faqc.2733 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/aqc.2733 |
geographic |
Canada |
geographic_facet |
Canada |
genre |
Newfoundland Snow crab |
genre_facet |
Newfoundland Snow crab |
op_source |
Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems volume 27, issue 3, page 631-642 ISSN 1052-7613 1099-0755 |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.2733 |
container_title |
Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems |
container_volume |
27 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
631 |
op_container_end_page |
642 |
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1800756684623183872 |