Estimating Bycatch in United States Commercial Fisheries

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The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, and international agreements identify the stewardship role of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) in leading the collaborative effort to monitor and reduce the bycatch and discard of living marine resources within the United States EEZ. NOAA Fisheries has initiated development of a national report to provide a comprehensive summary of regional and national bycatch estimates in U.S. commercial fisheries. The initial report will quantify the impacts and amounts of bycatch for fish, marine mammals, sea turtles and sea birds in priority fisheries. Estimates will be based on information collected by fisheries observers and reports submitted by fishers and fish processing companies. Observer data is utilized for a variety of assessment and monitoring purposes and, when available, is considered the most accurate source of information for monitoring fisheries bycatch. For fisheries with little or no observer coverage, industry reports are either the primary or only source of data for bycatch and discard estimation. The NOAA Fisheries Bycatch Report will address regional bycatch issues, provide background information on regional fisheries, consider the impacts of bycatch on fisheries and ecosystems, and describe methods which have potential for reducing bycatch. Bycatch mortality for specific fisheries will be assessed and the report will be updated periodically. This report will serve as a strategic document to guide future monitoring and data collection, and provide input for setting management goals.