Seabird Mitigation Measures on Small-Scale Longline Vessels North of 23 North

Given that the measure allowing the use of streamer-less tori lines has been in effect for more than three years, it is crucially important for the Commission to complete its review of the efficacy of the design. To that end, the United States proposes the following SC recommendation: SC17 recommends that Commission Members, Cooperating Non-Members, and participating Territories (CCMs) with small-scale longline vessels (< 24m) operating north of 23° North provide the SC with information on the specific mitigation measures used by those vessels and the associated seabird interaction rates for each mitigation measure, including streamer-less tori lines, and that SC18 review such information, to make findings and recommendations with respect to the effectiveness of the streamer-less tori line designs to inform the Commission’s review under CMM 2015-03 (and its successor measures).