Large buoys known as warp deflectors, or ‘pinkies’, are helping save the lives of Australia’s seabirds according to a world leading research report released today by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA), Assessing the Effectiveness of Seabird Mitigation Devices in the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery of Australia.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The research was a joint project between commercial fishers, seabird experts and AFMA in the Great Australian Bight and Commonwealth Trawl sectors of the Southern Eastern and Scalefish and Shark Fishery of Australia (SESSF). The project involved trialing two seabird mitigation devices, pinkies and warp scarers, to test how well they work in keeping seabirds away from the heavy wires that attach a trawl net to a fishing boat (warp wires). The results showed that pinkies reduced seabird interactions with warp wires by 75 per cent while warp scarers had only limited success.
AFMA CEO Dr James Findlay believes the report is an excellent demonstration of how industry, scientists and AFMA are working together to protect Australia’s marine life and provide a healthy supply of Australian seafood.
“Limiting the impact of fishing operations on the environment whilst ensuring a viable fishing industry is paramount for AFMA,” said Dr Findlay.
“By working together with industry, scientists and environmental groups, we can continue to make lasting change in Australian fisheries.”
The South East Trawl Fishing Industry Association CEO Simon Boag also agreed about the significance of the report.
“Industry wants to understand the effectiveness of mitigation devices to help us further minimise seabird interactions,” said Mr Boag.
“Using the results of this report to improve our operations is in line with the Association’s strategy of showing environmental stewardship over the fishery. The fishery itself is our industry’s only long term asset.”
Nine trawl boats participated in the trial and a total of 124 trawl shots were observed to assess how well the mitigation devices worked. The trial was conducted in areas of high seabird concentration to ensure there was good information on how well the equipment worked.
The trial also highlighted the periods of time when seabirds aren’t at risk. It was revealed that trawling at night has a much lower chance of seabird injury compared with trawling during the day.
Based on the results of this research, AFMA will refine our seabird strategy with fishers, seabird experts and environmental groups to further reduce the risk of seabird interaction.
More information about what AFMA is doing to protect Australia’s seabirds, including the full report, can be found at www.afma.gov.au. The SESSF is a multisector, multigear and multispecies fishery, targeting a variety of fish stocks. It extends from Cape Leeuwin, Western Australia to Sandy Cape, Queensland.
