Decisions 13.61 to 13.63 - Bycatch

Parties that manage fisheries with identified marine mammal bycatch problems are urged to take account of the Hamilton and Baker (2019) assessment, available as UNEP/CMS/COP13/Inf.11 and, once available, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Technical Guidelines to reduce bycatch of marine mammals in capture fisheries and the Leaper and Calderan (2018) study of methods used to reduce risks of cetacean bycatch and entanglements (CMS Technical Series Publication No. 38), in addition to the best available scientific advice for the fisheries concerned and implement effective bycatch mitigation measures for marine mammals, as appropriate to their fishing operations including the introduction of alternative gears.

The Scientific Council and the Working Group on Bycatch are invited, subject to the availability of funds and in cooperation with other relevant organizations such as the Sharks Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Advisory Committee and regional fisheries management organizations to: a) review current data and knowledge about levels of bycatch of CMS-listed chondrichthyan species and existing measures to mitigate bycatch based on species, fishing area, fisheries, fishing season and gear type; b) based on the above, identify priorities for bycatch mitigation and make recommendations to Parties and the CMS Sharks MOU on the most effective and appropriate measures to mitigate and reduce bycatch based on the above categories, while ensuring that recommended measures do not act to the disadvantage of other CMS-listed marine species.

The Secretariat is requested to, subject to the availability of funds: a) upon the request of Parties, and, as appropriate, in collaboration with relevant intergovernmental organizations, including regional fisheries management organizations: i. commission national or regional reviews to determine relative levels of bycatch of all CMS-listed marine species in commercial and artisanal fisheries; ii. identify and prioritize fisheries and areas in which adverse impacts of bycatch are highest for CMS-listed marine species; and iii. organize, if warranted, regional workshops to identify appropriate bycatch mitigation measures for fisheries of highest priority. b) support the Scientific Council with the implementation of its task agreed in Decision 13.62, including by commissioning a review on bycatch in chondrichthyan species and by facilitating cooperation between the Scientific Council and the Sharks MOU Advisory Committee.