Retrieval of abandoned, lost, and discarded fishing gear in Southwest Nova Scotia, Canada: Preliminary environmental and economic impacts to the commercial lobster industry

MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN

卷:171

Article

Goodman, Alexa J.^1,2,4  McIntyre, Jessie¹  Smith, Ariel¹  Fulton, Leah^1,3  Walker, Tony R.²  Brown, Craig J.³ 

[1] Coastal Act, Mahone Bay, NS, Canada

[2] Dalhousie Univ, Sch Resource & Environm Studies, Suite 5010,Room 5026,6100 Univ Ave, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada

[3] Dalhousie Univ, Dept Oceanog, Halifax, NS, Canada

[4] Dalhousie Univ, Marine Environm Observt Predict & Response MEOPAR, Halifax, NS, Canada

关键词: Ghost gear;    Marine debris;    Benthic impacts;    American lobster;    Species-at-risk;    Industry stewardship;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112766

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Southwest Nova Scotia (SWNS) is Canada's most productive lobster (Homarus americanus) fishing region. Abandoned, lost, and discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) is widespread. This baseline study provides the first preliminary assessment of environmental and economic impacts of ALDFG on the commercial lobster industry in SWNS. Fishers conducted 60 retrieval trips, searched similar to 1523 km(2) of the seafloor and removed 7064 kg of ALDFG (comprising 66% lobster traps and 22% dragger cable). Results showed that lost traps continued to capture target and non-target species until gear degraded. A total of 15 different species were released from retrieved ALDFG, including 239 lobsters (67% were market-sized) and seven groundfish (including five species-at-risk). The present findings, combined with information on regional fishing effort and market prices, estimate that commercial losses from ALDFG can exceed $175,000 CAD annually. This baseline assessment provides useful data for government and commercial fishing stakeholders to improve ALDFG management.

【 授权许可】

Free