The Development of ACAP Seabird Bycatch Indicators, Data Needs, Methodological Approaches And Reporting Requirements - presentation to IOTC

Citation
Wolfaardt A, Debski I, Misiak W, et al (2016) The Development of ACAP Seabird Bycatch Indicators, Data Needs, Methodological Approaches And Reporting Requirements - presentation to IOTC. In: IOTC - 12th Working Party on Ecosystems and Bycatch. IOTC‐2016‐WEPB12‐31, Seychelles
Abstract

The Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) is a multilateral
environmental agreement that seeks to achieve and maintain a favourable conservation status
for albatrosses and petrels. The Agreement is currently ratified by 13 countries. In addition, a
number of non-Party Range States actively participate in the work of the Agreement. The
Agreement provides a framework for coordinating and undertaking international activity to
mitigate known threats to populations of affected species, including fisheries bycatch. In order
to monitor and report on the performance of the Agreement, a Pressure-State-Response
framework is being developed and implemented by ACAP. The primary Pressure indicator for
bycatch comprises two linked components: i) the seabird bycatch rate across each of the
fisheries of member Parties, and ii) the total number of birds killed (bycaught) per year of
ACAP species (per species where possible). The Seabird Bycatch Working Group of ACAP is
currently undertaking work to develop guidelines on issues that need to be considered in
estimating and reporting against these bycatch indicators and, considering the estimation
methods currently in use, to propose guidance and recommendations to achieve consistent
reporting. This paper provides an outline of the recommendations and guidelines that have
been developed to date. It is important to note that this represents work in progress, and is
presented here to encourage linkages between the ACAP process and similar work being
undertaken within IOTC and other RFMOs.