Near Real-Time Bycatch Avoidance in the Sea Scallop Fishery

Real-time and near real-time information gathering and exchange can improve commercial fisheries’ ability to manage trip limits, track species’ distributions and avoid bycatch species.  Integrating new technologies and data sharing capabilities into fisheries management has enabled quick responses to mandated catch targets, including bycatch targets.  The Atlantic sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) fishery on Georges Bank has been constrained by bycatch of yellowtail flounder (Limanda ferruginea), resulting in lost economic yield, derby-style fishing and spatial shifts in fishing effort.  We developed a near real-time information exchange system with the sea scallop fishing industry to identify yellowtail flounder bycatch “hotspots”.  A similar system was subsequently developed for bycatch avoidance in the Atlantic sea herring fishery. A coded grid map was overlaid on the fishing grounds, enabling fishermen to report on bycatch rates at a fine spatial scale.  Fishermen collect tow by tow information on the location and amount of bycatch and send daily bycatch reports to SMAST scientists through existing Vessel Monitoring System technology.  We analyze the bycatch data in near real-time, and send a daily advisory to the active fishing fleet documenting spatially specific bycatch amounts.  To address issues associated with data sharing and confidentiality, we collaborated extensively with the scallop fleet during the development of the bycatch avoidance program.  The system is technologically straightforward, user-friendly and cost-effective; however the data has limited uses.  This case study demonstrates use of near real-time information exchange to avoid fisheries bycatch.  We discuss the implications of collecting and employing spatially-specific, fisheries dependent information to solve fisheries bycatch problems.