Performance Assessment of Underwater Setting Chutes, Side-Setting, and Blue-Dyed Bait to Minimize Seabird Mortality in Hawaii Pelagic Longline Tuna and Swordfish Fisheries

Underwater setting chutes, blue-dyed bait, and side-sets each reduced the bycatch of seabirds (Laysan and black-footed albatross and short-tailed shearwater) in the Hawaiian longline tuna and swordfish fisheries. Side-sets showed the most promise for a bycatch mitigation technique while blue-dyed bait was the least effective at reducing seabird bycatch and shows the least promise of these methods as an effective bycatch mitigation strategy.
Field Studies:

Location	Fishing gear	Reduction technique	Bycatch species	Effect on bycatch species	Catch	Effect on target catch	Type
Hawaii	Hooks-and-Lines	Sub-surface sets	Seabirds	Reduced bycatch	Swordfish and tuna		In the wild
Hawaii	Hooks-and-Lines	Dyed bait	Seabirds	Reduced bycatch but least effective of 3 tested techniques	Swordfish and tuna		In the wild
Hawaii	Hooks-and-Lines	Side sets	Seabirds	Reduced bycatch; most promising of 3 tested techniques	Swordfish and tuna		In the wild