Closed Areas Significantly Reduce Bycatch of
Marlin, Sailfish and Juvenile Swordfish

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), in settling NCMC's lawsuit over swordfish, billfish and shark bycatch in the longline fisheries (NCMC vs. Secretary of Commerce, 1999), closed 133,000 square miles of coastal waters off the southeast U.S. coast in August 2000 (see closed areas, in green, in map below). The closures went into effect in March 2001.

Longlines are a type of commercial fishing gear used to target swordfish and tuna but which also take a large bycatch of undersized fish and non-target species that are discarded dead at sea. Species discarded by longline gear include blue and white marlin, sailfish, endangered sea turtles, birds, marine mammals and juvenile swordfish. While some progress is being made in modifying longline gear to minimize interactions with seabirds and turtles, the only known method of dealing with the bycatch of protected or prohibited fish is to get the gear out of the water, where and when it is doing the most damage.

The agency's estimates of bycatch reduction after the 2007 fishing season as compared to the average bycatch during 1997-1999 (pre-closures) are:

The reductions in bycatch observed after seven full years of the closures are substantial. If correct, they represent a significant achievement in reducing longline bycatch through the use of discrete closures. Even so, we remain concerned that under-reporting of bycatch (estimates are based on vessel logbooks augmented by limited observer coverage) and future shifts in longline effort may impact closure effectiveness. It's especially important, therefore, that NMFS continue to improve its ability to monitor the longline fleet and to obtain accurate catch information. The NCMC is also urging NMFS to examine longline bycatch levels in additional areas (see areas in yellow in map above) to determine whether seasonal closures in these regions would further benefit severely overfished blue and white marlin and bluefin tuna.

Read more about recent attempts to open the US southeast closures.

Learn more about NCMC's efforts to protect giant bluefin tuna in the Gulf of Mexico.

Read the latest news on banning longlining in the Pacific.

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