Marine Debris Encounter Reporting Program: A partnership with the NOAA Observer Program in Hawaii
Background | Partnership | Objectives | Status | Photos
Background
A pilot project is under way between the NOAA Marine Debris Program and the NOAA Pacific Islands Regional Office (PIRO) Observer Program based out of Hawaii to gather information on interactions between marine debris and the longline fishing industry. This document outlines the purpose of the project and the workflow to get information from the observers to the Marine Debris Program.
In the North Pacific Ocean, derelict fishing gear (mainly lost or discarded nets) is often found drifting within heavily fished areas. Derelict fishing gear (DFG) impacts the longline fishery through active gear entanglement, vessel interactions, and catch interaction. In order to better understand the extent of these impacts, a pilot project was begun to observe and record DFG interactions with active longline fishing operations.
The Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act of 2006 directs NOAA to “undertake marine debris mapping, identification, impact assessment, prevention, and removal efforts, with a focus on marine debris posing a threat to living marine resources and navigation safety.” Collecting data on the impacts to Hawaii’s longline fleet would be an important step in carrying out this mandate.
Partnership with the NOAA Observer Program
The NOAA PIRO Observer Program is responsible for training longline observers to collect incidental sea turtle take and fishing effort data. Mandatory observers are required aboard the Hawaii-based pelagic longline vessels targeting swordfish (shallow set, 100% coverage) and tuna (deep set, approx. 20% coverage). A preliminary review of existing observer records indicated that longline vessels encounter and interact with DFG – often gear or propeller entanglement – which results in down time and repair costs. This poses both a safety hazard for crew to disentangle the vessel and an economic loss because fishing operations are immobilized. Prior to this pilot project, the only marine debris information coming in from observers was from the comment field on the data forms.
This project creates a new standard reporting form, the “Marine Debris Encounter Report,” to record vessel, gear, and species marine debris interactions. This will provide a more accurate and consistent data assessment of the economic and environmental impacts of marine debris mainly to Hawaii’s longline fishing industry, but also to marine species in the North Pacific Ocean. Additionally, the project fosters a positive relationship between the NOAA PIRO Observer Program and the NOAA Marine Debris Program and can serve as a pilot for collaborations between observer programs and marine debris research in other regions. Information gained from this study will guide the development of new solutions to minimize the impacts to the longline fishing fleets.
Objective
The primary objective of this pilot project is to gain a better understanding of the impacts of DFG on Hawaii-based longline fisheries through more comprehensive marine debris data collection. This will be achieved through data collected on DFG interactions with active gear, vessels, and hauled species via a new standardized Marine Debris Encounter Report.
Status
This cooperative program was launched in December of 2007. To date, hundreds of Marine Debris Encounter Reporting forms have been submitted. The most common encounter type is entanglement of fishing gear in derelict net debris. Comprehensige data analyses are pending.
Photos
Typical conglomeration of derelict fishing net and rope found entangling fishing gear.
Typical encrusting organism found on derelict nets.
Derelict net at sea.
