The ecosystem oceanography is strongly influenced by conditions in the wider Atlantic Ocean, particularly along the shelf edge, and ocean currents support strong linkages with neighbouring ecoregions. These connections make it an ideal region to study highly mobile species such as seabirds, which are considered data-poor, and having shown significant population declines in part due to bycatch.
Fisheries operating in proximity to large seal colonies (e.g., Blasket Islands) provide important opportunities to assess and mitigate against high bycatch rates. The mixed Celtic Sea mixed demersal fishery makes it an ideal case study on the drivers of discarding, particularly elasmobranch species.
Fisheries of Interest
- Longlines
- Trawl fisheries
PETS of Concern
- Seabirds
- Elasmobranchs
- Seals
Areas of Work
- Spatio-temporal modelling of elasmobranch distribution
- Elasmobranch bycatch estimates and driver assessments
- Bycatch risk assessments for seabirds
- Elasmobranch bycatch estimates and development of avoidance techniques
- Workshops with fishers to validate outputs from species distribution and risk modelling
Other Case Study Areas
Region 1
Greenlandic waters
Region 2
Icelandic waters
Region 3
Azorean waters
Region 5
The Greater North Sea
Region 6
The Bay of Biscay
Region 7
Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ)