Organizers
Michael Simpkins, Chief, Protected Species Branch, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries Service
Tim Werner, Director, Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction, New England Aquarium
Background
Fisheries bycatch is the principal threat to many marine mammals.
The worldwide decline in leatherback turtles has been caused, in part, by bycatch in fisheries. Leatherback turtles most often entangled or hooked externally in pelagic longline fisheries (Garrison 2003), but are capable of swimming to the surface to breathe (Witzell and Cramer 1995). Although not all incidental captures lead to mortality, the number of leatherbacks caught each year is very high and post release mortality rates are unknown. Lewison et al (2004) estimated that the global longlining fleets took 50 to 60,000 leatherbacks in 2000.
Local lobster fishermen and large whale and fisheries scientists met in Woods Hole to discuss large whale entanglements in fishing gear.
Presentations from the workshop can be viewed here.
Patrice McCarron has been MLA’s Executive Director since 2001 and is the former Executive Director of the Gulf of Maine Lobster Foundation. She has extensive experience in community outreach in the State of Maine and is an expert in fisheries and other ocean management issues through her current and former positions, including Conservation Associate at the New England Aquarium.
Maine Lobstermen's Association
Dr. Kenneth Baldwin directs the Center for Ocean Engineering at UNH, serves as a member of the University’s Marine Program Executive Committee, and is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Dr. Baldwin applies his expertise in engineering and marine environments towards the evaluation of bycatch reduction technologies, including acoustic deterrents and “whale-safe” ropes.
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