Methods to Reduce Sea Turtle Interactions in the Atlantic Canadian Pelagic Long Line Fleet

This project investigates the role of fisheries management in the conservation of loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea), both of which are currently listed as vulnerable by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). These species migrate from nesting grounds in South America to feed on gelatinous zooplankton (jellyfish) in the North Atlantic off the coast of the United States and Canada. The seasonal foraging grounds of sea turtles heavily overlap with areas of high fishing effort for the longline tuna and swordfish fleet, a fishery that has significantly high rates of sea turtle incidents. The dynamic nature of sea turtle foraging patterns renders static spatio-temporal fishing area closures ineffective. Rather, turtle by-catch mitigation requires small-scale, event-triggered closures and decentralized management to reduce incidents while minimizing the negative socio-economic impact of area closures on fishermen. A number of methods that increase fishing selectivity have been implemented in other commercial fisheries around the globe and are suggested for the Atlantic Canadian fleet moving forward.