On the last Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) meeting a study titled ‘By-Catch and Discards of the European Purse Seine Tuna Fishery in The Indian Ocean-Characteristics and Estimation for the 2003-2007 Period’ confirms the higher incidence of discards and bycatch when using Fishing Aggregating Devices (FADs) on tuna fishing. It is said that the study paper has seven authors from France, Spain, Ivory Coast and Seychelles, focused its research on the European Purse Seine tuna fisheries in the Indian Ocean.
The study collected data from observers programs started in 2003, which determined the period of the research – 2003 to 2007. A total of 1.958 observed sets – 1.162 free schools sets, 762 log schools (FADs) sets and 34 sets on ocean floor mounts – resulted in 10.487 tons of bycatch and discards per year estimation. From that number, 5.783 tons – or 55 percent – were caused by FAD fishing.
According to the study tuna discards and by-catch is higher on FAD sets than on free schools sets. It also said that main tuna species like bigeye, yellowfin and skipjacks are generally discarded when length is less than 40-45 cm. Young skipjack is the most vulnerable tuna species to FAD fishing. Nearly 53 percent of discards of the species was caused by this method.
The study mentioned that the harmful effect of FADs is better seen on the bycatch of other marine life. The device is responsible for 96 percent of other fish species’ accidental catch, 92 percent of shark’s bycatch and 70% of billfishes’.
