The Albatross Task Force is working in Ecuador to investigate the causes of seabird bycatch in marine fisheries and develop solutions to mitigate this impact. Unlike many of the fisheries where the ATF is active, fishing techniques in Ecuador are often considered 'artisanal' or small-scale. This means that the fishing operation is manual, fishing gear is simple and time at-sea is relatively short compared to mechanised industrial fisheries. One of the fisheries in Ecuador is the demersal (bottom) longline fishery that targets hake.
Over the weekend we conducted another of a series of small community meetings with local fishery stakeholders. At this meeting a total of 22 local fishers representing 18 vessels from the longline fleet were present along with local governmental representatives. These meetings provide a regular opportunity to discuss the issue of seabird bycatch and agree on collaborative actions to monitor seabird interactions in the fishery and trial measures to reduce bycatch. Simple measures such as the use of larger weights to quickly sink the line away from foraging birds are easily incorporated into the fishing operation and ATF experimental research shows there is no negative affect on fish catch.
While the adoption of regulations may not be an option that is as viable for small-scale fisheries compared to industrial fleets, working with the community is critical and this is the approach that the ATF has taken from the outset. Positive feedback form the fishing community suggests that this is effective and continual collaboration is helping answer the seabird bycatch questions related to the fleet in Ecuador.