Toolbox for seabird bycatch mitigation advice in purse seine fisheries (update)

The following document is an updated version of the advice on mitigating seabird bycatch in purse seine fisheries, initially compiled in 2021 (Suazo & Alfaro-Shigueto 2021, SBWG10 Doc 19). It encompasses a series of proposed mitigation measures tailored to these net fisheries, considering their operational dynamics, ongoing trials assessing effectiveness, and constraints and considerations for onboard implementation by decision-makers. Additionally, this document provides background information on purse seine fisheries, including insights into identifying sources (hotspots) of seabird bycatch during operations, as discussed in the working group (Suazo et al. 2023, SBWG11 Doc 14). The objective of this document is to serve as a practical resource for communicating the feasibility of seabird bycatch mitigation measures specific to purse seine fisheries. As such, it offers a synthesis of mitigation measures identified as early as 2017 (Suazo et al. 2017, SBWG8 Inf 26), which encompass sensory approaches, physical barriers, and structural modifications to purse seine gear, some of which are complemented by best practices directly applicable to crew members on deck.