An interview-based assessment of the incidental capture and mortality of sea turtles in Mozambique´s Sofala Bank commercial shrimp fishery
Trawling for penaeid shrimps in Sofala Bank (central Mozambique) has been suggested to have major effects on the size of sea turtle populations. A total of 39 commercial fishers, fishery observers and enforcers were interviewed to assess the level of sea turtle catches in fishing operations and reported that at least 1,735±1,235 sea turtles are caught each fishing season of about seven months. Green turtle (Chelonia mydas, 48.4%), the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta, 25.8%) were the most common species, but catches also comprised the olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea),the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) and the leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea). Over 54.8% of the incidents occur within a few miles of the small islands forming the Primeiras and Segundas archipelago in the northern one fifth section of the fishery. About 86% of the animals are hauled alive and around 14% (265±184)drown in the net each fishing season. While these rates of mortality are high owing to tow times lasting 3 hrs on average, they are lower than the ones reported in Australia and the US Gulf of Mexico and North Atlantic trawl fisheries. These results should be validated by onboard observations to be carried out during one fishing season before they can be considered for management.
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| Format: | Journal Contribution biblioteca |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2012
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| Subjects: | Prawns and shrimps, Trawling, Marine turtles, Shrimp fisheries, |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1834/5142 |
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