Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

By-catch of tuna gillnet fisheries of Pakistan: A serious threat to non-target,
endangered and threatened species 

Volume 56 Issue 1

Muhammad Moazzam and Rab Nawaz

doi: 10.6024/jmbai.2014.56.1.01750s-13

Abstract

Tuna gillnet fishery of Pakistan employs more than 500 fishing boats that operate in offshore waters. In addition to tuna, gillnet also catches large quantities of by-catch fish species including billfishes, pelagic sharks, dolphin fishes as well as marine turtles and cetaceans, which are protected species. High by-catch of these non-target animals affects their population in the area. The paper provides information on by-catch and suggests measures that can be adopted as alternate fishing methods to minimize mortality of endangered and threatened cetaceans and turtles.

Keywords

Tuna gillnet by-catch, enmeshment, mortality, cetaceans, sharks, turtles, whale shark.

Date : 15-10-2014