A Minute to Understand Bycatch

Bycatch refers to the accidental capture of non-target species (dolphins, sea turtles, seabirds, juvenile fish) during fishing activities. Because modern fishing gear is extremely efficient and covers vast areas, it captures everything in its path. These animals are often discarded back into the sea, dead or dying.

Causes of the problem

      - Non-selective fishing gear: Longlines (lines with thousands of hooks), gillnets, and trawling (nets dragged along the seafloor) are the most problematic methods.

      - Poor management: Inadequate fisheries management in some countries and illegal (“pirate”) fishing exacerbate the situation by disregarding quotas, authorized zones, and protective measures.

      - Nature of the nets: Some nets, such as gillnets, are virtually invisible in the water, making them difficult for cetaceans that use echolocation to detect.

The Impacts

      - Cetaceans: More than 300,000 small cetaceans (dolphins, porpoises) die each year after becoming entangled in nets. Some species, such as the vaquita, are threatened with extinction.

      - Sea turtles: Bycatch poses the greatest threat to the survival of most turtle populations (such as leatherback and loggerhead turtles), which frequently drown after becoming entangled in fishing gear.