Preliminary Report On Ghost Fishing Phenomena by Drifting FADs In Eastern Indian Ocean

The preliminary report on the Ghost Fishing Phenomena by Drifting Fish Aggregating Devices (DFADs) In Eastern Indian Ocean has main objective to study on the accidental death of marine animal around the Drifting Fads in the Eastern Indian Ocean during December 2002 to January 2003 while the shipboard purse seining of M.V.SEAFDEC No.68-1/2002 was conducted. The data of accidental catches included the payao setting position from 17 drifting Payaos and 3 abandon European payaos were collected.

13 species, 103 marine animals had been caught by the accidental at 17 SEAFDEC and 3 abandon European drifting payaos. 30 Marine turtles were the highest number of accidental catch. 18 of them were caught by abandon European drifting payaos. 11 Marine turtles were caught by SEAFDEC drifting payao No.2, which entangled with abandon European in the garbage area. 27 leather jackets were highest number of marine fish caught by SEAFDEC and abandon European drifting payaos. Others were 7 porpoises, 10 sharks, 7 tripletails, 13 rainbow runners, 3 seachubs, 2 wahoo, a skipjack, a barracuda and a remora.
The best tuna and skipjack catch result, 19 tons was conducted from the SEAFDEC drifting payao with only accidental catch. The poorest tuna and skipjack catch result.0 ton was conducted from the SEAFDEC drifting payoa with 25 accidental catches. From the result of the recorded, it has no significant relation between the quantities of tuna and skipjack target catch and number of accidental catches but the data should be continued to collecting for the final conclusion in the future.