BirdLife International’s Post

Attention East Coast Anglers! A new study reveals that tunas, sharks, and billfishes are being caught farther north due to warming ocean temperatures. NOAA's Large Pelagics Survey, analyzing data from 2002-2019, shows that these prized species are moving northward, with some shifting up to 5 nautical miles per year.🌡️🌎 This northward migration means anglers and fishing tournaments must adapt to changing locations and seasons. Yellowfin tuna, bluefin tuna, and white marlin are among the most frequently caught species affected by this shift. Stay informed and plan your trips accordingly! 🐟 For more detailed insights, check out the full study in Fisheries Oceanography. 📸 @captvinceriera https://ow.ly/2HuN50RNWV1

Over the last few decades, a host of measures to reduce #fisheries #bycatch of vulnerable #marine species – including #seabirds, marine mammals, sea #turtles, and #sharks, skates, and rays – have been developed and tested around the world. But there’s still plenty to learn about whether and how each measure works. In a major new study, scientists from China, Canada, the Netherlands, and Scotland have examined the research done to date on 42 different measures, such as LED lights and trawl excluder devices. The verdict? Taken as a whole, the measures are able to reduce bycatch without affecting catch rates of the fish that #fishers do want to catch. Other findings included: ➡️ Sensory-based measures tended to be more effective than physical-based ones. ➡️ Nearly all the measures are highly specific to #fishing gear and bycatch species – in other words, there aren’t really any “silver bullets” when it comes to bycatch mitigation. It’s hoped that the study will encourage further #innovation in and adoption of measures vital to reducing – and wherever possible eliminating – bycatch of vulnerable species, to support ocean health and #sustainable fishing. Find the study here 👉 https://loom.ly/dz9ZHQk

Just read this fascinating paper by Dalpaz and colleagues on dolphin bycatch mitigation in a Brazilian coastal lagoon. I love the idea of "good dolphins" and "bad/lazy dolphins"! 👼 🐬 👿 Key takeaways: • Socioeconomic factors heavily influence fishers' attitudes towards bycatch • Bycatch mitigation strategies can have unintended consequences on local fishing practices • Participatory governance is crucial for effective conservation This research echoes recent ICES advice on marine mammal bycatch in the Baltic Sea ( https://lnkd.in/efYXitfy ), highlighting the global nature of this challenge. Both emphasize the need for: • Increased monitoring coverage • Tailored mitigation measures • Consideration of socioeconomic impacts As we strive to protect marine ecosystems, it's clear that successful conservation requires a holistic approach, balancing ecological goals with the needs of fishing communities. #MarineConservation #Fisheries #Bycatch #SustainableFishing #MarineMammals

#DYK TFM is the primary lampricide used to control invasive sea lampreys in the Great Lakes? TFM stands for 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol. TFM has helped reduce sea lamprey populations by 90% since the 1950s. The lampricide is administrated in nursery streams for larval sea lampreys, which live in stream bottoms 3-5 years or longer, prior to becoming parasitic. Though sea lamprey larvae are the target of TFM treatments, the lampricide is lethal to all life stages of sea lampreys. TFM disrupts energy metabolism in sea lampreys, which have low levels of the enzymes needed to eliminate TFM from their bodies. Most other organisms are unaffected by TFM at the concentrations applied. Around 200 Great Lakes tributaries and larval “hot spots” are treated regularly. After a treatment has occurred the TFM breaks down and does not bioaccumulate in the ecosystem, making it an effective and environmentally conscientious control tool. If you want to learn more about invasive sea lampreys in the Great Lakes and how the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service control them with TFM, check out the “Sea Lamprey Control in the Great Lakes” fact sheet series: https://lnkd.in/eyph5Haf. And be sure to keep watching for our weekly #DYK posts! Photo: A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sea lamprey control agent measures the flow rate of TFM (in its concentrated form) being applied to a Great Lakes tributary to control invasive sea lampreys. Credit: Andrea Miehls, Great Lakes Fishery Commission. #GreatLakes #InvasiveSpecies #SeaLamprey #SciComm

Seabird bycatch in European waters The cumulative bycatch estimate extracted from the first European review suggests that about 195,000 seabirds (ranging from around 130,000 to 380,000) are bycaught in European waters annually. The most affected seabird species is the Common Guillemot with over 31,000 birds killed per year. According to the data obtained the marine region with the highest bycatch estimate is the Northeast Atlantic (over 115,000 seabirds per year). Gillnet fisheries are responsible for the highest bycatch levels, with over 95,000 seabirds per year, followed by longline fisheries. The families most affected by bycatch are Anatidae and Alcidae. These numbers are likely an underestimation since we were unable to find bycatch estimates, or to extrapolate estimates from available bycatch data for 12 (out of 34) European coastal states. According to the review, Poland is the second country in terms of the number of bycaught birds in Europe, but it is also one of the few countries where an attempt was made to estimate the total bycatch, what may affect the obtained results.... https://lnkd.in/dANkpJjG

Seabirds are the most threatened group of birds due to fisheries bycatch, invasive predators, and climate change. WCS-India strives to integrate knowledge of genetics and breeding biology to develop conservation plans in order to protect these charismatic species of the open ocean.    Researchers from various Indian institutions including the Wildlife Institute of India, National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, and Pondicherry University studied Wilson’s storm petrels - small seabirds breeding along the Antarctic coastlines - revealing distinct genetic differences between mainland Antarctic and sub-Antarctic populations.    Dr. Anant Pande, currently with our Marine Programme at WCS-India was previously part of this study that underscores the importance of ice-free Antarctic regions as critical seabird breeding grounds. The work highlights the potential of these seabirds as indicators of ecosystem health and responses to climate change.    Seabirds are often not included in the marine ecosystem’s representative groups but monitoring these birds can provide valuable insights into the impact of environmental changes on marine ecosystems globally.    #ScienceoftheWild #ResearchIllustrated #PaperVizSeries #Seabirds #WilsonsStormPetrel #SeabirdsofAntartica #Antartica #PaperVisualisation #ScienceCommunication #IllustratedBreakdown #WorldSeabirdDay #Illustrations #NatureArt Anant Pande, Ph.D | Wildlife Institute of India | National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research | Pondicherry University

Science communication at its best!

Hindcasting the Pulse of the Salish Sea: Insights from ‘End-to-End’ Ecosystem Modeling of the Strait of Georgia using NEMO-ECOSPACE Tuesday, January 7 from 12:30 – 1:30 pm PT on Zoom Co-hosted with Fisheries & Oceans Canada  How have ocean conditions, lower trophic level dynamics, and species interactions shaped the Strait of Georgia’s marine ecosystem over the past 40 years? What long-term changes can we anticipate in the future? Greig Oldford with Fisheries & Oceans Canada will highlight insights generated via integration of the Ecospace ecosystem model with a custom NEMO-based oceanographic hindcast. This ‘End-to-End’ model is being used to evaluate hypotheses scoped by the Canada-US Salish Sea Marine Survival Project (SSMSP) related to synergistic effects of predation, prey availability, habitat, competition, and other factors on the productivity of Pacific salmon. The potential for decadal-scale ecosystem forecasting will also be highlighted. While the event is free, registration is required. https://lnkd.in/gfRHKice

Seagrass & Such Series: A Closer Look- Seagrass as Fish Nurseries. Seagrass meadows are an important coastal habitat for many juvenile species of fish, giving the protection of a nursery, providing an important habitat for food, refuge and spawning. The seagrass beds provide abundant food sources to both fish and invertebrates, allowing the young fish to hide from predators in their leafy shelter whilst they grow. These habitats also benefit larger predators such as green sea turtles, manatees and dugongs as they act as feeding grounds. For humans also, seagrass fisheries are another beneficiary of this environment, providing a vital source of income to many coastal communities. These meadows form part of a larger ‘seascape’, connected to and supporting other marine and coastal habitats. https://bit.ly/4hJaH5Z Michiel Vos / Ocean Image Bank #seagrassseries #ocean #oceanconservation #marinebiology #oceanecosystems #seagrass #marinehabitats #seagrassnurseries

What is the status of Southeast Asia’s sharks and rays? Around 51% of sharks and 69% of rays in our region are threatened with extinction. When we group sharks and rays together, we can say that collectively, 59% are threatened with extinction. What exactly does ‘threatened with extinction’ mean? It means that they are listed as either Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Just over 72% of shark and ray species in Southeast Asia have populations that are declining and worryingly, the population status of 17% is unknown. Their biggest threat? Being caught by fisheries, both targeted and incidental. The solution? Less fishing pressure and more Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that give these animals a safe space to live. Read about the status of Southeast Asia’s sharks and rays: https://lnkd.in/gZ3CGZVA Read about the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: https://lnkd.in/eWjNfVbs #SEA #Sharks #Rays #IUCN #IUCNRedList #MPAs