The Development and Operational Testing of an Underwater Bait Setting System to Prevent the Mortality of Albatrosses and Petrels in Pelagic Longline Fisheries
Read full paper at: http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=52452#.VJjJccCAM4 Author(s) Graham Robertson 1* , Phillip Ashworth 2 , Peter Ashworth 2 , Ian Carlyle 2 , Steven G. Candy 1 Affiliation(s) 1 Australian Antarctic Division, Kingston, Australia . 2 Amerro Engineering, Warana, Australia . ABSTRACT Longline fisheries for tunas and tuna-like species present an existential threat to many populations of albatrosses and petrels worldwide. To prevent this form of mortality we developed a new technology designed to deploy baited hooks underwater beyond the dive depths of seabirds (6 - 10 m for the species most commonly caught). The underwater bait setter is a stern-mounted, hydra...