National Plans of Action (NPOAs) for reducing seabird bycatch: Developing best practice for assessing and managing fisheries impacts

S.D Good,G.B Baker,M Gummery,S.C Votier,R.A Phillips

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108592

Abstract

Fisheries bycatch is one of the biggest threats to seabird populations. Managers need to identify where and when bycatch occurs and ensure effective action. In 1999, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations released the International Plan of Action for Reducing Incidental Catch of Seabirds in Longline Fisheries (IPOA-s) encouraging states to voluntarily assess potential seabird bycatch problems and implement a National Plan of Action (NPOA) if needed. However, the IPOA-s is ambiguous about the steps and objectives, diminishing its value as a conservation tool.We reviewed NPOAs to identify approaches taken to determine whether seabird bycatch is problematic, how bycatch minimisation and population objectives are set, and if thresholds are specified for managing impacts. Our aim was to recommend measures for improving consistency and effectiveness in future NPOAs and other management frameworks for seabirds, with relevance for other threatened marine vertebrates including sharks, turtles, pinnipeds and cetaceans. Globally, 16 NPOAs have been published, but few effectively linked seabird bycatch risk, objectives and management. However, we identified the following best-practice elements that could improve NPOA design: (1) defining explicit risk criteria and methods to assess bycatch problems; (2) setting specific and measurable objectives for minimising bycatch and achieving desired population status; and (3) defining fishery-specific thresholds to trigger management action linked to the population objective. Consistent adoption of NPOA best practice, particularly in states that have not already developed an NPOA, would help to mitigate bycatch threats and ensure fisheries do not reduce the viability of seabird populations.

Highlights

Incidental mortality in fisheries is one of the biggest threats to marine megafauna (Anderson et al, 2011; Moore et al, 2013; Phillips et al, 2016; Wallace et al, 2013)
The IPOA-s identifies that the assessment may include collection and analysis of: (1) the criteria used to evaluate the need for an National Plan of Action (NPOA); (2) data on fishing fleets, techniques, areas and effort; (3) status of seabird populations; (4)
Each NPOA was reviewed and information was extracted on the method used to identify if a seabird bycatch problem exists; the stated overarching objective; whether this or any sub-objectives related to the status of seabird populations or species; whether any thresholds were included and in what form, and; whether these thresholds were explicitly linked to a management response

Summary

Introduction

Incidental mortality (bycatch) in fisheries is one of the biggest threats to marine megafauna (Anderson et al, 2011; Moore et al, 2013; Phillips et al, 2016; Wallace et al, 2013). Minimising bycatch is at the forefront of global marine conservation goals (FAO, 1995), including the development of reference points for estimating risk and managing impacts (Curtis and Moore, 2013; Moore et al, 2013; Zhou and Griffiths, 2008). The 2009 release of the FAO Best Practice Technical Guidelines (BPTG) to support implementation extended the IPOA-s to other relevant fishing gear including trawls and gillnets (FAO, 2009). These documents highlight the importance of reducing impacts on seabirds or nontarget species, none set objectives regarding population status of the affected species nor prescribe thresholds for impacts beyond which management action should be taken. The IPOA-s identifies that the assessment may include collection and analysis of: (1) the criteria used to evaluate the need for an NPOA; (2) data on fishing fleets, techniques, areas and effort; (3) status of seabird populations; (4)

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