Stakeholder Views on Methods to Identify Ownership and Track the Position of Drifting Fish Aggregating Devices Used by Tuna Purse Seine Fisheries with Reference to FAO's Draft Guidelines on the Marking of Fishing Gear. (FAO Fisheries Circular 1163.)

Fish aggregating devices (FADs) used by tuna purse seine fisheries improve fishing efficiency relative to other purse seine fishing strategies and make it possible to successfully fish in new areas. However, when not responsibly managed, FADs can cause adverse effects. Use of physical and electronic methods to assign a unique identification code and track the position of drifting FADs (dFADs) can improve the monitoring, understanding of ecological and socio-economic effects and management of this fishing gear. In 2016 the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) convened an Expert Consultation on the Marking of Fishing Gear, resulting in the development of Draft Guidelines for the Application of a System on the Marking of Fishing Gear. Recognizing challenges with applying conventional methods of marking fishing gear to identify dFAD ownership, in 2017, FAO conducted a global survey to obtain stakeholder views on the FAO Draft Guidelines. This Circular presents the survey results on marking and tracking the position of dFADs; defining dFAD ownership; and defining, reporting and recovering abandoned, lost and discarded dFADs. Stakeholder assessments of existing measures on dFAD marking and tracking are also reported. The study was conducted to implement a recommendation made by the Committee on Fisheries during the 32nd Session in 2016 and to support continued work on FAO’s Draft Guidelines on marking and tracking FADs to be conducted by an FAO Gear Marking Technical Consultation.