Sea Bird bycatch could increase
The accidental catch of marine birds by long liners can skyrocket, at least in the short run, with the prohibition of discarding catches, set by the European Union, according to an article published in the journal Scientific Reports by a team led by Professor Jacob González-Solís, from the Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences and the Biodiversity Research Institute of the University of Barcelona (IRBio).
More than 500 birds die every year due to Mediterranean long liners
“Our study shows that with the lack of trawling boats –the ones that produce more discards- marine birds opt for feeding from long liner baits, so the risk of being stuck in the hook and dying is higher. From the moment the European regulation is set as mandatory, fishermen won’t throw discards to the sea and therefore, bird mortality in long liners will skyrocket” warns González-Solís.
“Therefore, before setting this regulation that bans fishermen from throwing fishing discards, it is absolutely essential and urgent to set up appropriate correcting measures in long liners so that they prevent birds from getting stuck on hooks and die”.