Bycatch

A threat to marine biodiversity that is not talked about nearly enough is by catch. This is what happens when commercial fishermen unintentionally capture species other than their target. The unwanted species are often thrown overboard and die. Well known examples of this are that dolphins are caught as bycatch when the target is tuna and turtles are the bycatch of shrimp. Many other species can become bycatch as well. Part of the problem is with the fishing gear and methods used. Commercial fisherman use large nets to capture their target that can cause problems. They are unable to discriminate between their target and other species. Another problem is that fisherman often leave their nets in the water for an extended period of time, allowing various species to get caught and become bycatch. There are organizations that focus on reducing or ending bycatch, but this problem cannot be solved without the collective effort of fisherman as well. Efforts are currently focused on developing new fishing techniques that will reduce bycatch. These methods can help, but they can't solve the problem by themselves.



Sources

NOAA. "National Bycatch Program." :: Office of Sustainable Fisheries. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, n.d. Web. 2 Apr. 2015.

WWF. "Bycatch." WorldWildlife.org. World Wildlife Fund, n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2015

Oceana. "Campaign." Oceana: Protecting the World's Oceans. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2015