Groupe Tortues Marines France (GTMF) By-catch Working Group activities in French waters

The Groupe Tortues Marines France (GTMF) created in 2007 by the French Ministry in charge of the Natural Environment aims to exchange information, to reflect and make propositions on all issues concerning the management of sea turtles in all French waters, including overseas, with links to the conservation actions at the international level. It is open to all the stakeholders of the marine turtle conservation in France and gathers to-date 170 members, who can exchange information through a web-list. The work of GTMF is organized into 3 main working groups (WG) concerning the following themes: by-catch reduction, public sensitization, and legislation and training. The main actions carried out by the by catch WG during these last years were to take stock of the situation of the sea turtles in the different French waters based on the analysis of a National questionnaire on various interactions of fisheries with sea turtles. Provisory maps on repartition of turtle strandings and catches were drawn with information on most impacting gears. Furthermore, posters to disseminate to fishers were also drawn to advise them on best ways to avoid mortality on board or during releasing. These actions were performed in partnership with the French department of fisheries.