Incidental catch of seabirds: strengthening observer programs and increasing cooperation - Response

Since the 1990s, the incidental catch of seabirds in commercial marine fishing operations has generated a great deal of attention (Croxall et al., 2012). Its impact is not only on seabird populations but also on fisheries. Much research has been carried out to estimate the number of seabirds caught incidentally, with the hope of identifying mitigation measures to reduce incidental catch (Gilman, Brothers & Kobayashi, 2005; Anderson et al., 2011). As mentioned in Phillips (2013), longline fisheries are considered one of the major fisheries that have negative impacts on seabirds, especially for albatross in the Southern Ocean (Anderson et al., 2011). An evaluation of the entire situation in the three oceans would be an important area for research and follow-up conservation measures (Lewison et al., 2004). To date, there is limited bycatch information from Asian longline fleets. It is hoped that our research can contribute to filling this data gap, especially in the Atlantic Ocean.