Tropical Tuna Fisheries Research Articles

Survey-based approach to generate regional multipliers for the Indonesian tropical tuna fisheries

Abstract This study applies surveys of business and household expenditure to draw inferences about the size of regional multipliers to assess the cascading economic impacts of the data-limited Indonesian tropical tuna fishery. The average business-level production multiplier was estimated at around 1.3 across survey respondents, while household-level consumption effects were considerably higher, with the total economic effect roughly three times larger than the production value. A statistical analysis using generalized additive models suggests that there is considerable difference in production multipliers across regions, driven by the individual characteristics of operators, such as revenue/profit, size of the boat, type of gear, and the class of the port where the business is located. This research has the potential to provide a practical management tool to measure flow-on economic impacts of a fishery when information necessary for more formal economic analysis is unavailable, such as for data-limited fisheries or small regional studies.

Experiences in developing empirical harvest strategies for the Indonesian tropical tuna fisheries

Harvest strategies, also referred to as management procedures, are foundational to evidence-based fisheries decision making. Together with closed-loop simulation testing, termed Management Strategy Evaluation, of potential harvest strategies, they are considered to be best practice. However, the use of these approaches is still mostly limited to a small minority of high-value, data-rich stocks in developed economies. The Indonesian tropical tuna fisheries provide a rare real-world experience where formal empirical harvest strategies were being developed for data-limited fisheries within a developing economy as an operational management tool. The Harvest Strategy Framework is a departure from a previously open-access fishery for tropical tuna in Indonesian archipelagic waters. It outlines the necessary actions to operationalize the harvest strategy, including fisheries monitoring, harvest control rules, associated management measures to meet the management objectives, and immediate actions to reduce the levels of catch as a precautionary measure until the harvest strategy is fully implemented. It was developed over a 9-year national consultative process, commencing in 2014 and culminating in the official adoption of the framework in June 2023. This paper outlines key processes and challenges encountered in stakeholder engagement and technical capacity development within the intricate governance context of Indonesia. We argue that the engagement processes have cemented a future direction towards sustainable and best practice fisheries management in Indonesia and the effective co-production process has potential to show the way for other fisheries in coastal developing states who face similar challenges in managing their national and internationally shared stocks.

Bycatch mitigation from the sky: using helicopter communication for mobulid conservation in tropical tuna fisheries

The incidental capture of non-target species (bycatch) in tuna fisheries impacts some marine vertebrates, particularly species with vulnerable life histories such as manta and devil rays (mobulids). There is broad interest in reducing mobulid bycatch in tuna purse seine fisheries, with existing efforts mainly focusing on reducing post-capture mortality rates. We explore a novel potential pre-capture mobulid bycatch avoidance strategy for the tuna purse seine fishery using communication between fishing vessels and associated spotter helicopters. We conducted a survey of tuna purse seine helicopter pilots, spotters, and fishers operating in the eastern Pacific Ocean (n = 33) to ascertain the ability of helicopter crew to detect mobulids prior to capture and communicate bycatch avoidance with vessel crew. Results indicate over half of the helicopter crew report being “always” or “sometimes” able to sight and identify mobulids and that helicopter crew regularly communicate mobulid sightings to the vessel already. Given that an average of 63% of class-6 vessel trips between 2017 to 2022 carried onboard helicopters, our results suggest that helicopter-vessel communication could be feasible and scalable for mobulid bycatch detection, enabling potential bycatch avoidance and early alerts for proper handling protocols. We also identify the potential use of helicopter detection to improve research efforts for mobulid conservation (e.g., data collection of population and habitat observations). This study is the first to investigate the utility of helicopter-vessel communication as a bycatch mitigation strategy for elasmobranchs and identifies research and management directions that could be further investigated to avoid bycatch of mobulids.

Adaption planning to climate change in industrial fisheries: Progress in the Basque tropical tuna fishery

Climate change impacts on ocean living organisms and ecosystems have flow-on effects on fisheries and their associated values. Industrial fisheries operate long distance fleets that potentially have the capacity to respond to such impacts by using technology and changing the timing and distribution of fishing effort. However, long-term adaptation to climate change in industrial fisheries entails larger structural changes that include adaptive management and international cooperation, where actors beyond the industry need to be engaged. How industrial fisheries are tackling adaptation to climate change is largely unknown, as is the role that actors in these systems undertake. In this study, we explored the Basque tropical tuna fishery to understand past and projected adaptation actions by each of the main actors in the fishery. We performed in-depth interviews with high-level representatives from 65% of the fishing industry, governments, research bodies, and non-governmental organizations of the Basque tropical tuna freezer purse seine fishery operating in the central-eastern Atlantic Ocean. We found that the fishery system has engaged in adaptation actions that seek to improve fishery sustainability, and that most adaptation actions are undertaken by the fishing industry. We also found that actors promote several types of adaptation actions such as practice change, and capacity building, among others, and that there is a lack of joint adaptation planning. We discuss the challenge in identifying suitable adaptation options to promote resilient and sustainable fisheries and to avoid losing their associated values.

An application of Electronic Monitoring System to optimize onboard observation protocols for estimating tropical tuna purse seine discards

Onboard observer programs have been implemented since the 2000′s to monitor the impact of tropical tuna fisheries on pelagic ecosystems. The recent development of Electronic Monitoring Systems (EMS) offer new insights to improve the monitoring and estimation of discards at sea, which remains a challenge for observers on board purse seiners where catch handling occurs simultaneously at different places on the vessel and often represents large volumes discarded within a short amount of time. In this study, data collected through EMS installed on board French tropical tuna purse seiners operating in the Indian Ocean were used to examine the sorting process and test optimized observer sampling strategies to obtain robust estimates of discards. We used EMS “counts per minute” data to estimate the total amount of discards in numbers, as well as discards per taxa by fishing set. Results indicate differences in the flow of discards among species and sorting location with 82% of the individuals released through the discard belt in the lower deck, the rest being directly released from the upper deck. Observer sampling strategies were simulated with the aim of optimizing the total sampling duration and the duration of sampling sequences by assessing the bias and coefficient of variation of the estimates. Based on these results we recommend a protocol for onboard observers using a minimal coverage of 22 min of sorting operations in the lower deck, with sampling sequences of 2–4 min for large volumes of catch. Further strategies to improve the estimation of discards combining onboard and electronic observations are also discussed.

No evidence from long-term analysis of yellowfin tuna condition that drifting fish aggregating devices act as ecological traps

Human-induced habitat modifications can severely impact the biology and behavior of wild species. Drifting fish aggregating devices (DFADs), used by industrial purse-seine tropical tuna fisheries, significantly increased the number of floating objects found in the open ocean, with which tropical tuna associate. This habitat change has raised concerns over the risk of modifying the behavior and altering the biology of tuna and other associated species (the so-called ecological trap hypothesis). Relying on a time-series from 1987-2019 of more than 25000 length-weight samples collected in the western Indian Ocean, we reject the hypothesis that the body condition (Le Cren’s relative condition factor, Kn) of yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares decreased concurrently with the increased number of DFADs. This result suggests the absence of negative long-term impacts of DFADs on the condition of tuna. As other factors may have counteracted possible negative effects of DFADs, we recommend long-term monitoring of the habitat along with biological and behavioral parameters of tunas to detect any critical change.

Multi‐species hotspots detection using self‐organizing maps: Simulation and application to purse seine tuna fisheries management

Abstract To fulfil fisheries management objectives that often include implementing the precautionary and ecosystem‐based approaches, multispecies fisheries data need to be analysed. Amongst the different methods dealing with these multidimensional data, self‐organizing maps (SOMs) remain rarely used, although they are highly flexible in data input and offer visualization possibilities particularly suited to summarize complex datasets. Here, we propose to combine SOMs with a clustering approach to break down data complexity and produce simple geographic maps showing catch hotspots, which can indicate sensitive zones in terms of fishery management. To promote this approach, we tested it first on simulated datasets and then on the open‐access ICCAT commercial catch database of the tropical tuna fisheries of the Atlantic Ocean. We aimed to detect drifting fish aggregating devices (dFADs) catch hotspots of juveniles of two tuna species, bigeye and yellowfin tunas and of the silky shark, a commonly bycaught vulnerable shark species, in tropical tuna purse seine fisheries. Simulations on datasets increasing in complexity (in number, geographic and duration extent of the hotspots and number of species in the analysis) informed us about the method's sensitivity and limits. Our findings showed that, in the context of multi‐specific fisheries, the detection of the hotspot is dependent on a certain level of catch within the hotspot and that adding species to the analysis tended to mask small and short‐duration hotspots. Applied to tropical tuna fisheries' data, the method confirmed the empirical knowledge on which first time‐area closures were based and provided scientifical support. All in all, the visual support provided by the method, its interpretability and its potential transferability to other fisheries' systems constitute its main strengths and imply a possible implementation in management decisions; specifically, as a tool to reach agreement between stakeholders in the definition of regulated areas for protecting juveniles of tunas and vulnerable associated species to dFAD practices.

Harnessing stakeholder knowledge for the collaborative development of Mobulid bycatch mitigation strategies in tuna fisheries

AbstractManta and devil rays (Mobulids) face several immediate threats, including incidental capture in industrial tropical tuna fisheries. As a result, efforts have emerged to avoid or mitigate Mobulid bycatch in these fisheries. However, many mitigation efforts fail to incorporate fisher expertise from the outset, potentially leading to interventions that are not viable. Here, we combine survey and focus group data to synthesize knowledge of Mobulid bycatch and mitigation ideas in Eastern Pacific Ocean purse seine fisheries. Primary obstacles for mitigating Mobulid bycatch, according to respondents, are: (1) an inability to sight Mobulids before capture, (2) the lack of specific equipment on board, and (3) the difficulty of releasing large individuals; we suggest that the latter two can be addressed by simple operational modifications. We also find that Mobulids are most likely to be sighted by fishers after capture, suggesting that this is an important time in the fishing operation for bycatch mitigation interventions that ensure Mobulids survive capture. To address this, we share creative ideas brought by fishers for avoidance of Mobulids. This study provides a model of how to incorporate stakeholder input in the design of bycatch technology in large-scale fisheries and could inform similar efforts around the world.

Schooling in habitats with aggregative sites: The case of tropical tuna and floating objects

Many marine and terrestrial species live in groups, whose sizes and dynamics can vary depending on the type and strength of their social interactions. Typical examples of such groups in vertebrates are schools of fish or flocks of bird. Natural habitats can encompass a wide range of spatial heterogeneities, which can also shape the structure of animal groups, depending on the interplay between the attraction/repulsion of environmental cues and social interactions. A key issue in modern applied ecology and conservation is the need to understand the relationship between these ethological and ecological scales in order to account for the social behaviour of animals in their natural environments. Here, we introduce a modeling approach which studies animal groups within heterogeneous habitats constituted by a set of aggregative sites. The model properties are investigated considering the case study of tropical tuna schools and their associative behavior with floating objects, a question of global concern, given the thousands of floating objects deployed by industrial tropical tuna fisheries worldwide. The effects of increasing numbers of aggregative sites (floating objects) on tuna schools are studied. This study offers a general modeling framework to study social species in their habitats, accounting for both ethological and ecological drivers of animal group dynamics.

Assessing the effectiveness of dFADs fishing moratorium in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean for conservation of juvenile tunas from AOTTP data

Targeting tunas associated with drifting Fish Aggregating Devices (dFADs) raises questions on the sustainability of tropical tuna fisheries. To limit catches of juvenile tunas, multiple time-area dFADs-fishing moratoria have been implemented by ICCAT since 1998. In this study we assessed the effectiveness of two different dFADs time-area closures implemented for the protection of both bigeye and yellowfin tuna juveniles. Using Atlantic Ocean Tunas Tagging Program (AOTTP) data from 2016 to 2019, we estimated the relative risk for individuals tagged inside the moratorium strata to be recaptured inside in comparison to the recapture rate outside the spatio-temporal strata. AOTTP releases were not homogeneously distributed in terms of areas and school type, therefore to assess the effect of the moratorium without potential bias a matching procedure was used to rebalance the release areas. As a result of the matching procedure and subsequent filtering applied to the dataset, the number of bigeyes recaptures retained inside and outside the time-area closure were below the threshold from which any conclusion could be drawn. In contrast, our results show that a majority of yellowfin and skipjack tunas tagged within the closed area stayed within the closed area during the moratorium period. Consequently, the last moratorium can be considered as effective for these two species, at least during the months of fishing ban on dFADs.

Data Provision for Science-Based FAD Fishery Management: Spanish FAD Management Plan as a Case Study

The use of fish aggregating devices (FADs) in tropical tuna fisheries has increased significantly during recent decades. Concurrently, concern about juvenile tuna mortality, bycatch, and marine debris associated with FAD fisheries increased, and this led to the implementation of FAD management measures and more sustainable designs (e.g., non-entangling or biodegradable FADs, limits on active FADs, etc.). This document reviews data collection and reporting requirements of tuna-Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (t-RFMOs) on drifting FADs and summarizes the work carried out since 2010 under the Spanish FAD management plan to create an adequate standard data collection aimed at improving science-based decision making. The aim of this study is to assist in the strengthening of data collection systems through: (1) a review of the existing data requirements, (2) a review of the status of FAD data collection worldwide and identification of data gaps, and (3) recommendations aimed at improving FAD management through the strengthening of FAD data requirements. Due to the complexities of data collection, we summarize the difficulties faced when processing the data and propose concrete and practical solutions to improve both the data collection system and information quality.

Socio‐ecological and economic aspects of tropical tuna fisheries in the Mozambique Channel

AbstractIndustrial and small‐scale tuna fisheries in Mozambique may compete over the same resources, which has potential socio‐ecological impacts. The two types of fisheries were investigated by characterising their catch trends, types of interactions, number of people they employ and revenues. Commercial landings, logbook data and all previously established tuna Fishing Partner Agreements in the country were analysed, as well as data collected from interviews with small‐scale fishers. A declining trend in catches was observed in the industrial fisheries sector, which was also perceived by small‐scale fishers, and suggests that there is some competition between these two sectors for the same tuna stocks, even when these stocks are targeted in separate grounds. While the small‐scale tuna fisheries sector provides thousands of local direct and indirect jobs and high economic benefits for fishing communities, the industrial fisheries sector may only be economically advantageous to Mozambique if Fishing Partner Agreements are improved and enforced. Although maintaining non‐overlapping fishing grounds between industrial and small‐scale fisheries may be positive for the fishers, it could result in major pressure on the tuna stocks, as they would be exploited relentlessly.

Skippers’ preferred adaptation and transformation responses to catch declines in a large-scale tuna fishery

Abstract At first glance, large-scale fisheries may seem adaptable to climate change. Adaptation takes place from the governance to the individual level of fishers. At the individual level, skippers make day-to-day decisions on where to fish and are at the forefront of the response to changes at sea. We seek to understand such individual adaptation in large-scale fisheries, using the case of the Spanish tropical tuna fishery. We surveyed 22% of Spanish freezer purse seine skippers operating in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. In the last 10 years, more than half of skippers used new technology to search for tunas and expanded their fishing area as adaptation actions. Using cluster analysis, we identified two skipper groups—based on stated behaviours to confront different hypothetical scenarios of catch decline—that would follow adaptation or transformation strategies. The majority of skippers would follow adaptation strategies until a hypothetical 30% catch decrease and then choices diverge. Skipper characteristics, such as importance given to intergenerational knowledge, perceptions of change in tropical tuna abundance, and years working in the current job, can explain the adaptation and transformation choices. These findings help understand the potential for adaptation behaviour by skippers involved in fisheries confronting catch declines.

Just a Harmless Fishing Fad—or Does the Use of FADs Contravene International Marine Pollution Law?

Fish aggregating devices (FADs) are widely used in artisanal fisheries in the Mediterranean Sea and in tropical tuna fisheries. Thousands of FADs are lost or abandoned each year, with many causing environmental damage. This article examines whether such loss or abandonment contravenes international marine pollution law. It finds that abandonment probably constitutes “dumping” within the meaning of the international dumping regime and thus, depending on the material of which a FAD is made, is either prohibited or subject to a permit system, and that the nonaccidental loss of a FAD breaches Annex V of MARPOL. The article also considers what action may be taken against the flag states of vessels that have abandoned or lost FADs.

A review of the fisheries, life history and stock structure of tropical tuna (skipjack Katsuwonus pelamis, yellowfin Thunnus albacares and bigeye Thunnus obesus) in the Indian Ocean.

Skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis), yellowfin (Thunnus albacares) and bigeye (Thunnus obesus) tuna are the target species of tropical tuna fisheries in the Indian Ocean, with high commercial value in the international market. High fishing pressure over the past three decades has raised concerns about their sustainability. Understanding life history strategies and stock structure is essential to determine species resilience and how they might respond to exploitation. Here we provide a comprehensive review of available knowledge on the biology, ecology, and stock structure of tropical tuna species in the Indian Ocean. We describe the characteristics of Indian Ocean tropical tuna fisheries and synthesize skipjack, yellowfin, and bigeye tuna key life history attributes such as biogeography, trophic ecology, growth, and reproductive biology. In addition, we evaluate the available literature about their stock structure using different approaches such as analysis of fisheries data, genetic markers, otolith microchemistry and tagging, among others. Based on this review, we conclude that there is a clear lack of ocean basin-scale studies on skipjack, yellowfin and bigeye tuna life history, and that regional stock structure studies indicate that the panmictic population assumption of these stocks should be investigated further. Finally, we identify specific knowledge gaps that should be addressed with priority to ensure a sustainable and effective management of these species.

Benefit-risk associated with the consumption of fish bycatch from tropical tuna fisheries

Mercury, omega-3 (docosahexaenoic acid, DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA) and macronutrients (fat and proteins) were quantified on a wet weight (ww) basis in 20 species of fish taken as bycatch in tropical tuna fisheries. Based on a hazard quotient taking into account mercury and omega-3 contents, a benefit-risk assessment for the consumption of these pelagic species was conducted for three people categories: young children, children and adults. All fish bycatch were found to be an excellent source of proteins (min‒max = 14.4–25.2 g/100 g fillet), had low omega-6/omega-3 ratios (<1, except for silky shark), and had mercury content below the safety limits defined by sanitary agencies. Silky shark and Istiophoridae had the highest mercury contents (min‒max = 0.029–0.317 ppm ww). Omega-3 contents were the lowest in silky shark (0.2 ± 0.2 mg/100 g fillet) and the highest in striped marlin (3.6 ± 3.2 g/100 g fillet). Billfishes (Istiophoridae, including striped marlin), minor tunas (Scombridae), and Carangidae had the highest omega-3 contents (min‒max = 0.68–7.28 g/100 g fillet). The highest hazard quotient values obtained for silky shark and great barracuda reflected a lower nutritional benefit (i.e., low omega-3 source) than risk (i.e., mercury exposure), making them not advisable for consumption. Eight species had low hazard quotients, and among them cottonmouth jack and flat needlefish were found of high health interest (high protein, moderate fat contents, and low omega-6/omega-3 ratio). A daily serving portion of 85–200 g (according to people category) can be recommended for these species. Batfish, and to a lower extent pompano dolphinfish and brassy chub, can also be consumed safely and would provide greater health benefits than risks. These results advocate for a better access of these species to local populations.

Southward re-distribution of tropical tuna fisheries activity can be explained by technological and management change.

There is broad evidence of climate change causing shifts in fish distribution worldwide, but less is known about the response of fisheries to these changes. Responses to climate‐driven shifts in a fishery may be constrained by existing management or institutional arrangements and technological settings. In order to understand how fisheries are responding to ocean warming, we investigate purse seine fleets targeting tropical tunas in the east Atlantic Ocean using effort and sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) data from 1991 to 2017. An analysis of the spatial change in effort using a centre of gravity approach and empirical orthogonal functions is used to assess the spatiotemporal changes in effort anomalies and investigate links to SSTA. Both analyses indicate that effort shifts southward from the equator, while no clear pattern is seen northward from the equator. Random forest models show that while technology and institutional settings better explain total effort, SSTA is playing a role when explaining the spatiotemporal changes of effort, together with management and international agreements. These results show the potential of management to minimize the impacts of climate change on fisheries activity. Our results provide guidance for improved understanding about how climate, management and governance interact in tropical tuna fisheries, with methods that are replicable and transferable. Future actions should take into account all these elements in order to plan successful adaptation.

Increasing the economic value of the eastern Pacific Ocean tropical tuna fishery: Tradeoffs between longline and purse-seine fishing

Fisheries harvesting yellowfin and bigeye tuna while targeting skipjack in the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) are not managed optimally with respect to economic value. Bigeye tuna are generally caught at before they reach full size so cannot fetch the higher prices obtained for mature fish which are usually harvested by longline fleets and sold to the sashimi market. This study evaluates the economic and biological trade-offs of managing the fishery to determine how the economic value may increase with different harvest strategies while the spawning biomass of both species is maintained at the optimal sustainable levels. This study uses three analytical models to assess the economic and biological tradeoffs in four possible scenarios with different combinations of purse-seine and longline fishing effort. The first model evaluates the biological tradeoffs under various effort combinations of longline (LL) and purse-seine (PS) that could reach the same optimal biomass level, measured by the spawning biomass ratio (SBR). The second model evaluates the long-term optimal equilibrium economic value under various effort combinations. The third model evaluates the dynamic (short-term) trajectory of recovery path of bigeye tuna under various policy options. The analytical results show that economics and conservation are not incompatible. In one scenario, we show that reducing purse-seine effort by 26.3%, via a per-ton compensation system from longline fleets to the purse-seine, leads to net economic gain of $93 million, annually. The total value of the PS and LL fisheries in EPO increases from $1246 million to $1339 million. The study shows that the economic value of the resource is highly dependent on the allocation of effort between the longline and purse-seine fisheries. Since the longline and purse-seine fisheries in EPO are formed by multiple users in multiple countries/groups, the ideal scenarios would not be feasible without administrative measures and/or economic incentives. This study also discusses three possible ways of implementing a management strategy that would achieve higher economic value while still maintaining tuna conservation goals, such as a tradeable right-based management scheme.

The key role of the Northern Mozambique Channel for Indian Ocean tropical tuna fisheries

The Northern Mozambique Channel (NMC) is a tropical area of ~ 1 million km2 where pelagic fisheries supply proteins to more than 9 million people living in Comoros, Mayotte, and along the coasts of Mozambique, Tanzania and Madagascar. Although uncertain, statistics suggest that about 20,000 mt of tropical tuna and other pelagic fish are annually caught by artisanal fisheries in the area. The NMC is also a major seasonal fishing ground for high-seas fleets that export an annual average catch of more than 20,000 mt to tuna can and sashimi markets of high-income countries for a value estimated to be more than 100 million USD. The fisheries productivity of the NMC appears to be highly variable in relation to strong annual and seasonal variability in oceanographic conditions. Our review shows that the NMC is a key feeding area for tropical tunas and a major spawning area for skipjack tuna thanks to warm waters and strong mesoscale activity that results in the enrichment of surface waters and efficient energy transfers enabled by short food chains. Projections of climate models under future warming scenarios predict some strong changes in the oceanographic conditions of the NMC which has already experienced substantial warming over the last decades. Changes in the pelagic ecosystem of the NMC could have dramatic consequences on the coastal populations that are expected to increase towards 100 million people by 2100. Improving monitoring systems and collecting information on the socio-economics of coastal fisheries is crucial to assess the dependence of NMC populations on tuna resources and empower the countries to more involvement in the management of tuna stocks.

In vitro characterization of buprenorphine, samidorphan, and combinations being developed as an adjunctive treatment for major depressive disorder

Knowledge of ocean surface dynamics is crucial for oceanographic and climate research. The satellite-tracked movements of hundreds of drifters deployed by research and voluntary observing vessels provide high-frequency and high-resolution information on near-surface currents around the globe. Consequently, they constitute a major component of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS). However, maintaining this array is costly and in some oceanic regions such as the tropics, spatio-temporal coverage is limited. Here, we demonstrate that the GPS-buoy equipped fish aggregating devices (FADs) used in tropical tuna fisheries to increase fishing success are also capable of providing comparable near-surface current information. We analyzed millions of position data collected between 2008 and 2014 from more than 15,000 FADs and 2,000 drifters, and combined this information with remotely-sensed near-surface current data to demonstrate that the surface velocity components of FADs and drifters are highly correlated in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. While it was noted that the subsurface structures of FADs did slow them down relative to the drifters, particularly in the Atlantic Ocean, this bias was measurable and could be accounted for in future studies. Our findings show that the physical meteorological and oceanographic data collected by fishermen could provide an invaluable source of information to the GOOS. Furthermore, by forging closer collaborations with the fishing industry and ensuring their contributions to global ocean databases are properly acknowledged, there is significant scope to capture this data more effectively.