Establish ‘move-on rules’ for fishing vessels if mammals are encountered

Overall effectiveness category Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)
Number of studies: 1
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How is the evidence assessed?

Effectiveness

70%
Certainty

27%
Harms

0%

Calculating overall effectiveness category

Background information and definitions

‘Move-on rules’ require fishing vessels to move away from an area to alternative fishing grounds if marine or freshwater mammals are encountered. The aim is to prevent injury or death resulting from the entanglement or unwanted catch (‘bycatch’) of mammals in fishing gear. The rules may involve moving to an alternative area located a minimum distance away. However, the efficacy of this method depends on mammals being detected, which may be difficult during the night or periods of low visibility. Passive listening devices may be used to aid detection, see Use passive listening devices to detect mammals and prompt fishing vessels to move away.

Study locations

Key messages

One study evaluated the effects on marine mammals of establishing move-on rules for fishing vessels if mammals are encountered. The study was in the Great Australian Bight (Australia).

COMMUNITY RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)

POPULATION RESPONSE (1 STUDY)

Survival (1 study): One before-and-after study in the Great Australian Bight found that introducing measures to delay or relocate fishing if dolphins were encountered, along with releasing trapped dolphins, resulted in fewer short-beaked common dolphins being encircled and killed.

BEHAVIOUR (0 STUDIES)

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A before-and-after study in 2004–2006 of a pelagic area in the Great Australian Bight, Australia (Hamer et al. 2008) found that introducing measures to delay or relocate fishing if dolphins were encountered, along with releasing dolphins trapped in nets, resulted in fewer short-beaked common dolphins Delphinus delphis being encircled and killed. The study did not distinguish between the effects of delaying/relocating fishing and releasing dolphins. Encirclement and mortality rates of dolphins in purse-seine nets were lower after the measures were put in place (0.2 dolphins encircled/net; 0.01 dolphins killed/net) than before (1.8 dolphins encircled/net; 0.4 dolphins killed/net). The measures were introduced to a sardine Sardinops sagax fishery in September 2005. At least one crew member/vessel was required to observe for dolphins. Fishing was delayed or relocated if dolphins were encountered. Release procedures included opening the net or a dolphin gate within the net, using weights to submerge the float line, physical removal of dolphins or stopping fishing. An independent observer recorded dolphin encirclements and deaths during 49 fishing events by eight vessels in November–June 2004/2005 (before the measures) and 89 fishing events by 12 vessels in November–June 2005/2006 (after).
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Hamer D.J., Ward T.M. & McGarvey R. (2008) Measurement, management and mitigation of operational interactions between the South Australian Sardine Fishery and short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis). Biological Conservation, 141, 2865-2878.

Please cite as:

Berthinussen, A., Smith, R.K. and Sutherland, W.J. (2021) Marine and Freshwater Mammal Conservation: Global Evidence for the Effects of Interventions. Conservation Evidence Series Synopses. University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

All the journals searched for all synopses

This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Marine and Freshwater Mammal Conservation

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