| Titre : | Seal-fishery operational interactions: Identifying the environmental and operational aspects of a trawl fishery that contribute to by-catch and mortality of Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) |
| Auteurs : | Derek J. Hamer, Auteur ; Simon D. Goldsworthy, Auteur |
| Type de document : | Article |
| Dans : | Biological Conservation (130(4) JUL 2006) |
| Article en page(s) : | 517-529 |
| Langues: | Anglais |
| Résumé : | Australian fur seals are known to interact directly (i.e. operational interactions) with trawlers fishing in the winter blue grenadier trawl fishery of western Tasmania, Australia. The purpose of this study was to identify the environmental and operational aspects of the fishery that were associated with increased numbers of seals observed at the surface. The incidence of net entry was determined in order to establish the effectiveness of the currently used Seal Exclusion Device (SED) at reducing by-catch and mortalities. In addition, the stage and depth at which seals were at greatest risk of entering the net at depth and becoming by-catch were also identified. An increase in seal numbers observed at the surface is assumed to be proportional to the increased risk of by-catch and mortality incidences at trawlers. The most important subset of environmental and operational factors for predicting the number of seals observed at the surface both in the fishing ground in general and during fishing operations were identified using Generalised Linear Modelling. The final model yielded a significant result (R(2) = 0.63, P |



