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This report reviews, describes and evaluates the different monitoring options that are available for obtaining counts of the number of cetacean bycatches that occur in European fisheries. Three methods were adjudged able to obtain these data: self-reporting by fishers, atsea observers, and remote electronic monitoring (REM) systems with CCTV. Of these, only the data collected by at-sea observers or REM can be collected independently of the fishers and only REM allows later verification of the bycatch events as often as required. Therefore, in this report these two methods are more fully described and compared against each other in terms of ability to collect the required data and of the costs associated with running a cetacean monitoring programme.

A description of the different components associated with electronic monitoring was also presented as there has often been confusion about what constitutes electronic monitoring and electronic recording and why a verification tool is necessary. Only a REM system with integrated satellite tracking, fishing activity sensors, and closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV), was considered a full remote electronic monitoring system with verification.

The increasing amount of debris in the world’s oceans has become a major cause for concern. There are many different types of marine debris.  It travels freely and does not recognise national boundaries, which means international collaboration is essential to any attempts to address the issue effectively.

Whale disentanglement is complex and dangerous. It involves small boat handling, ropes under high tension, sharp blades and panicked wild animals. There are safety and legal protocols, and a number of detailed assessments must be made including condition of the animal, nature of the entanglement, weather and conditions, and available resources.

The IWC brings together the leaders of established national disentanglement programmes. They share their knowledge and expertise to develop best practice protocols which are used to train nominees and build professional and effective response capacity in other parts of the world where entanglements occur.

Bycatch is a major conservation and welfare issue for cetaceans in European waters. Harbour porpoises and common dolphins are frequently reported to be bycaught in static nets (gillnets and entangling nets) and trawls. Despite European legislation to monitor and mitigate cetacean bycatch in fisheries where it has a negative impact on the conservation status of a species, bycatch still occurs at high rates in several fisheries in the ASCOBANS Agreement Area. The lack of compliance by some countries has resulted in legal challenges from the European Commission for implementation of the required measures.

There are two main parts covered in this report. The first part reviews different mitigation measures (acoustic deterrent devices, porpoise alerting devices, reflective nets, acrylic echo enhancers, lights and various technical modifications and changes to fishing practices) that have been trialled in the ASCOBANS region. The cost of implementation and pros and cons of each method are discussed in detail in the relevant sections.

The second part of the report reviews alternative fishing methods to replace static nets (i.e. gillnets and entangling nets). The cost of implementation, and pros and cons of the different gears, are discussed in depth in the relevant sections.

The largest cause of small cetacean mortality is bycatch, the incidental capture of non-target species such as dolphins, marine turtles, and seabirds. An estimated 300,000 cetaceans are killed in commercial fisheries each year, therefore preventing fisheries bycatch should be a top priority to ensure the conservation of species or populations. However, the threat of bycatch has yet to be eliminated, so these guidelines provide a practical tool to minimize its impacts by guiding fishers in the safe release of small cetaceans entangled in their gear, thus decreasing the risk of further injury or stress and increasing the chances of post-release survival.

The Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI) is a cross stakeholder alliance of fishing industry, private sector, NGOs, academia and governments focused on solving the problem of lost and abandoned fishing gear worldwide.

The Guidelines to Prevent and Reduce Bycatch of Marine Mammals in Capture Fisheries were produced by FAO in response to the request from the Committee on Fisheries at its Thirty-third Session in 2018 to develop technical guidelines on this subject, and are directed at decision-makers, planners, managers and all those involved in developing and implementing policy and technical interventions which relate to the bycatch of marine mammals in fisheries.The guidelines were drafted and developed through a series of activities undertaken by FAO, including the Expert Workshop on Means and Methods for Reducing Marine Mammal Mortality in Fishing and Aquaculture Operations and the Expert Meeting to Develop Technical Guidelines to Reduce Bycatch of Marine Mammals in Capture Fisheries. They outline options for marine mammal bycatch reduction through the application of technical measures, including: spatial closures, the use of acoustic deterrents or alerting devices, modifications to fishing gear, changes in fishing operations and other strategies. The document refers to policy instruments and institutional frameworks that support the implementation of the guidelines and the conservation of marine mammals, in addition to awareness raising, communication and capacity-building actions, together with the special requirements of developing States. Finally, the guidelines address the future research and development needs for the prevention and reduction of marine mammal bycatch in capture fisheries.

Most reports of collisions between whales and vessels involve large whales, but all species can be affected.  Collisions with large vessels often go unnoticed and unreported. Animals can be injured or killed and vessels can sustain damage.  Serious and even fatal injuries to passengers have occurred involving hydrofoil ferries, whale watching vessels and recreational craft.

As the leading global body addressing cetacean science, conservation and management, the IWC has the capacity to play a significant role in global efforts to address bycatch and in 2016, endorsed a new Bycatch Mitigation Initiative (BMI). In collaboration with other organisations, national governments and fishing communities, this aims to develop, assess and promote effective bycatch prevention and mitigation measures world-wide.

The initiative is currently focused on addressing gillnet bycatch in small-scale fisheries, although some work continues on bycatch in other gears and fisheries.

The concepts of collaboration and co-ordination underpin the BMI.  Bycatch is an issue that needs to be tackled on several different scales, from fishing communities to national governments and intergovernmental fishery bodies.

The BMI works closely with the Global Whale Entanglement Response Network (GWERN), a pioneering initiative which actively addresses welfare, conservation and human safety impacts of large whale entanglement in fishing gear and marine debris.

Conservation Management Plans (CMPs) are an important conservation initiative of the IWC.  They provide a framework for countries within the range of vulnerable cetacean populations (known as range states) to work together, and in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders, to protect and rebuild those populations.