ID :
55745
Thu, 04/16/2009 - 07:33
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/55745
The shortlink copeid
40% of global fish haul wasteful bycatch: WWF survey+
TOKYO, April 15 Kyodo - About 40 percent of the global marine catch is caught unintentionally, a study group of the global conservation group WWF said Wednesday, estimating the amount is at least 38 million tons a year.
A paper issued by the group says that such fish and other marine animals are
''either unmanaged or unused'' and should be considered bycatch, which occurs
because most fishing gear is nonselective and fishing fleets can catch marine
life other than the targeted species.
Noting that bycatch is ''an issue of critical ocean conservation and resource
management concern,'' the paper said, ''The extent of bycatch...is revealed as
potentially so serious that it must become a major political, management,
sectoral and environmental focus, bringing its implications to the fore as a
conservation/food security imperative.''
The estimates in the paper were worked out by mainly using data available for
23 major fishing countries, including Japan, between 2000 and 2003. It also
included data on global shark and tuna fishing.
The results identified a total of 38.5 million tons of annual bycatch, which
represents 40.4 percent of the estimated annual global catch of 95.2 million
tons.
The paper also showed that about 90 percent of marine life caught in shark fin
fishing is bycatch.
Japan's bycatch rate is 13 percent, lower than the global average, it said.
According to the group, the figures should be seen only as ''indicative minimum
bycatch estimates'' because several sources of potentially large amounts of
bycatch have not been estimated due to data deficiencies.
For example, the estimates were mostly derived from trawl fisheries and thus
bycatch from other fishing methods, such as gillnets and longlines, is missing.
Large-scale bycatch of turtles, seabirds and other species is not usually
quantified by existing systems of data and research, the paper said.
Robin Davies, a group member, called for the need to develop fishing equipment
that will reduce bycatch and expressed hope that Japanese people will pay
attention to how fish is caught.
==Kyodo
A paper issued by the group says that such fish and other marine animals are
''either unmanaged or unused'' and should be considered bycatch, which occurs
because most fishing gear is nonselective and fishing fleets can catch marine
life other than the targeted species.
Noting that bycatch is ''an issue of critical ocean conservation and resource
management concern,'' the paper said, ''The extent of bycatch...is revealed as
potentially so serious that it must become a major political, management,
sectoral and environmental focus, bringing its implications to the fore as a
conservation/food security imperative.''
The estimates in the paper were worked out by mainly using data available for
23 major fishing countries, including Japan, between 2000 and 2003. It also
included data on global shark and tuna fishing.
The results identified a total of 38.5 million tons of annual bycatch, which
represents 40.4 percent of the estimated annual global catch of 95.2 million
tons.
The paper also showed that about 90 percent of marine life caught in shark fin
fishing is bycatch.
Japan's bycatch rate is 13 percent, lower than the global average, it said.
According to the group, the figures should be seen only as ''indicative minimum
bycatch estimates'' because several sources of potentially large amounts of
bycatch have not been estimated due to data deficiencies.
For example, the estimates were mostly derived from trawl fisheries and thus
bycatch from other fishing methods, such as gillnets and longlines, is missing.
Large-scale bycatch of turtles, seabirds and other species is not usually
quantified by existing systems of data and research, the paper said.
Robin Davies, a group member, called for the need to develop fishing equipment
that will reduce bycatch and expressed hope that Japanese people will pay
attention to how fish is caught.
==Kyodo
