Assessing the Impact of Artificial Bait on Target Catch and Bycatch in Experimental Longline Fisheries

In longline fisheries, it is well-known that bait type significantly influences the catch of target and the bycatch. However, there is little information available on the impact of using artificial bait. Therefore, this study conducted at-sea fishing experiments to investigate the impact of artificial bait on catch rate and bycatch species. In the experiment, two types of real bait and two types of artificial bait were prepared and compared. As a result, while no bycatch of seabirds or sea turtles was observed with the artificial bait interactions with thresher sharks and a giant devil ray were found. This research is still in progress, and additional verification is planned in the future regarding bycatch processes and the impact of target depth.