Addressing Marine Megafauna Bycatch

• Title: Addressing Marine Megafauna Bycatch
• Principal Investigators: Jeremy Kiszka
• Timeline: Ongoing

Bycatch, or the incidental capture of marine mammals, seabirds, sea turtles and elasmobranchs is the most significant threat to these species at the global level. The magnitude of bycatch is overlooked in many regions around the world, particularly in developing countries, and actions to mitigate bycatch are still rare in most fisheries.

Working with our partners (including WWF Pakistan, Newcastle University, International Whaling Commission, US Marine Mammal Commission and Oceans Initiative), we investigate the magnitude of the incidental capture of marine megafauna and how to mitigate bycatch, primarily in small-scale fisheries. We also study how some industrial fisheries overlap and affect some endangered species, particularly cetaceans. We work regionally (East Africa, Arabian Sea) and globally to quantify and mitigate marine megafauna bycatch across multiple fisheries.

Explore the Kiszka Lab for Marine Conservation Ecology to learn more about this project.