On Deck Safe Handling and Releasing Techniques
Purse Seine Guidebook
- Table of Contents
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3
- Introduction
- Avoid Bycatch
- Minimize the Risk of Capture
- Reduce Bycatch Mortality
- Offset Unavoidable Bycatch Mortality
- 1. Sharks and Rays
- Sharks and Rays Commonly Encountered
- Reducing Shark and Ray Bycatch
- Target Large Schools
- Attract Sharks Out of the Net
- Fish Sharks in the Net to Release Them
- Modify Fishing Gear
- On Deck Safe Handling and Releasing Techniques
- Manual Handling Do’s
- Handling Medium Sharks
- Handling Stingrays
- Handling and Release with Bycatch Release Devices
- Light Equipment
- Shark Release Ramps with Hopper
- Mobulid Sorting Grids (with Vessel’s Crane)
- Releasing Whale Sharks
- Shark Handling and Release Do’s
- Shark Handling and Release Don’ts
- End Wasteful Shark Finning
- 2. Sea Turtles
- Most Common Bycaught Sea Turtle Species
- 3. Selective Tuna Fishing: Reducing Catch of Small Bigeye & Yellowfin Tuna
- Species Identification
- Yellowfin (30-45 cm)
- Bigeye (30-45cm)
- Yellowfin (46-110cm)
- Bigeye (46-110 cm)
- Yellowfin (>110 cm)
- Bigeye (>110 cm)
- Fisher Cooperation and Input
- Chapter 4
- Introduction
- International Organizations and Instruments
- Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission
- Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission
- International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas
- Indian Ocean Tuna Commission
- Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna
- Further Notes on Data Reporting and Compliance
- Conclusion
- Credits and Citations
Reduce Bycatch Mortality: On Deck Safe Handling and Releasing Techniques for Sharks and Rays
Research using shark tagging has shown that, when good release practices are followed, about 15% to 43% of sharks that are caught and brought on deck can survive.
This survival rate depends on two key things: first, on the number of sharks that arrive alive on the deck. Around 30% to 60% of the sharks are still alive when they arrive on deck. Second, if those live sharks are released quickly and carefully, about 50% to 70% of them have a good chance of surviving.
These figures underscore the critical importance of handling practices and timely release in improving survival outcomes for sharks incidentally caught in purse-seine fishing operations.
Manual Handling
Sometimes, it becomes challenging for the crew to manually handle, lift, and release large animals, which can also compromise crew safety. Therefore, the use of Bycatch Release Devices (BRDs) is recommended, as they allow fishers to handle and release large or dangerous individuals more safely and quickly, thereby increasing the animals’ chances of survival.
It is important to have the crew prepared for safe handling prior to net hauling. This includes instructing them on correct handling techniques and ensuring they have the right BRDs at hand, while putting their personal safety first.
The following sections and galleries illustrate safe handling techniques, various bycatch release tools, and do’s and don’ts to enhance shark post-release survival.