Fishers are often the first to notice when something changes at sea. New species appearing in familiar fishing grounds. Encounters with protected species occurring in different places. Changes in target catches, non-target catches, and fishing patterns that don’t match what was expected even a few years ago. But are these isolated observations, or part of a wider shift?
Cuttlefish and starfish captured as bycatch in the Southern North Sea. Picture taken by S. Uhlmann, ILVO
Marine Beacon is inviting fishers, scientists, fisheries managers and other marine stakeholders to join a new discussion on our Digital Platform, to explore how climate change may be affecting bycatch and interactions with protected species. Through this interactive space, we discuss bycatch mitigation and the accidental capture of protected, endangered and threatened species. Each discussion focuses on a specific issue, such as risks to a species or the effectiveness of a mitigation approach.
In this case, the discussion draws on evidence from NOAA Fisheries’ work on changing ecosystems and observations shared by Massachusetts fisherman Kurt Martin in a video produced by The Nature Conservancy, both of which highlight the growing impacts of changing ocean conditions on fisheries and marine species. We are particularly interested in hearing from people with first-hand experience of changes in species distributions, bycatch patterns, fishing operations and management needs.
Registration is quick and straightforward, and contributions will help build a better understanding of how fisheries and marine ecosystems are adapting to a changing ocean.