Summary of Best Practices for Assessing and Managing Marine Mammal Bycatch
Summary of findings and products of the Marine Mammal Bycatch Working Group
Bycatch in marine fisheries is the leading source of human-caused mortality of marine mammals globally. To help stem further declines, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 2016 issued the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) Import Provisions, which require nations that export fish and fish products to the U.S. to adhere to bycatch standards comparable in effectiveness to those in the U.S. By January 2023, nations must apply for and receive a “comparability finding” for each of their fisheries to continue exporting fish and fish products into the U.S.
According to the Ocean Modeling Forum Marine Mammal Bycatch Working Group, developing quantitative assessments and monitoring programs would enable nations to determine where, how, and the rates at which marine mammal bycatch is occurring, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of potential mitigation measures. Composed of an international team of experts, the Working Group produced a suite of products and tools that explore how to:
- understand which fisheries have a bycatch problem;
- collect the best data to quantify marine mammal abundance and bycatch;
- develop reference points for setting measurable conservation or recovery goals; and
- monitor progress towards such goals.
This document summarizes the main findings and final products of the Working Group. In particular, the Working Group was keenly aware that many nations will be designing and conducting assessments for the first time. Thus, it provided guidance that can be used in a variety of conditions in terms of data availability and resources.
