Interactions Between Cetaceans and Small-scale Fisheries Around the Central Mediterranean Maltese islands

Abstract

Cetacean depredation poses threats to both the socioeconomic viability of fisheries as well as species conservation. This study is based in the Maltese islands where the fishing sector has always been of a small-scale nature, with 93% of vessels being under 12 metres in length. Maltese fishers engage in small-scale fishing utilizing a variety of artisanal fishing gear, including surface longlines, which are mainly used to target swordfish and tuna; bottom-longlines; trammel nets and entangling nets, which are used to target groupers, various species of bream, red snappers and red porgies; and pots and traps which are generally used to captured octopus and bogue. This study, which aimed to analyse fishers perception with respect to interaction occurrence between small-scale fisheries and cetaceans in Maltese waters, found that fishers claim that dolphin presence has increased in the past five years, particularly in the vicinity of bluefin tuna, seabream, and seabass fish farms locations. While the use of trammel nets remains by far the most popular gear type employed by Maltese fishers, this study showed that around 33% of the fishing gear deployed in the past year suffered damages. It is therefore essential that proper monitoring is carried out in order to assess the factors that drive the interactions and the impact of dolphin depredation on the fishing sector. New prevention and mitigation measures are proposed. This study provides first-hand insights which will aid in the execution of local fisheries management plans and, subsequently, ecosystem-based fisheries management.