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Title: | Non-target by-catch in the Maltese bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) longline fishery (Central Mediterranean) |
Authors: | Burgess, Emma Dimech, Mark Caruana, Raymond Darmanin, Michael Raine, Helen Schembri, Patrick J. |
Keywords: | Tuna -- Mediterranean Region Bluefin tuna -- Mediterranean Region Fishes -- Mediterranean Region Tuna fisheries -- Mediterranean Region Bluefin tuna fisheries -- Mediterranean Region Bycatches (Fisheries) -- Mediterranean Region Pelagic fishes -- Mediterranean Region Loggerhead turtle -- Mediterranean Region Fisheries -- Catch effort -- Mediterranean Region |
Issue Date: | 2010 |
Publisher: | International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) |
Citation: | Burgess, E., Dimech, M., Caruana, R., Darmanin, M., Raine, H., Harrison, A., & Schembri, P. J. (2010). Non-target by-catch in the Maltese bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) longline fishery (Central Mediterranean). ICCAT Collective Volume of Scientific Papers, 65(6), 2262-2269. |
Abstract: | The Bluefin Tuna longline fishery is one of the most important pelagic fisheries in the Mediterranean but recently there has been increasing concern about the catches of non-target species. This study presents an assessment of the non-target by-catch from the Maltese Bluefin Tuna longline fleet and examines the effect of various environmental and spatiotemporal factors on non-target species catch rates. Field observations were made during 85 fishing days. In terms of number, Bluefin Tuna comprised a relatively small portion of the total catch while the Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta) was the predominant by-catch species. Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) was calculated in terms of weight (kg/1000hooks/hr) and number (no/1000hooks/hr) for all the species caught. General Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs) were applied to examine the effect of environmental and spatiotemporal variables on non-target bycatch CPUE. The model for CPUE (number) was not found to be significant. Date, lunar cycle, species and longitude were found to be significantly correlated with CPUE (weight). The results of this study suggests the need for the continual implementation of mitigation measures to minimise the impacts of fishing activities on threatened non-target species in the Mediterranean. |
URI: | https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar//handle/123456789/21089 |
ISSN: | 10215212 |
Appears in Collections: | Scholarly Works - FacSciBio |
Files in This Item:
File | Description | Size | Format | |
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Burgess et al (2009) ICCAT Scientific Papers 65(6) pp2262 2269.pdf | 418.5 kB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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