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Dynamic habitat models: using telemetry data to project fisheries bycatch.
Ramūnas Zydelis1, Rebecca L Lewison, Scott A Shaffer
1Center for Marine Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Laboratory, 135 Duke Marine Laboratory Road, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA. rzy@dhi.dk
Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|March 25, 2011
Summary
Dynamic habitat models accurately predict fisheries bycatch for seabirds. Black-footed albatrosses, though less abundant, showed higher bycatch due to habitat overlap with longline fisheries.
Area of Science:
- Marine Ecology
- Conservation Biology
- Fisheries Science
Background:
- Fisheries bycatch poses a significant threat to marine megafauna, particularly pelagic species.
- The dynamic marine environment and species mobility complicate bycatch mitigation efforts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the potential for species to overlap with fisheries by applying dynamic habitat models.
- To model habitats for Laysan and black-footed albatrosses and relate their occurrence to Hawaii-based longline fisheries.
Main Methods:
- Utilized telemetry data to model dynamic habitats for Laysan and black-footed albatrosses.
- Related species occurrence probabilities to observed bycatch data from Hawaii-based longline fisheries (1997-2000).
- Employed dynamic habitat models to determine relative probabilities of species occurrence under specific oceanographic conditions.
Main Results:
- Modelled black-footed albatross habitat preferences showed high overlap with the Hawaiian longline fleet's fishing range, explaining their bycatch.
- Modelled Laysan albatross habitats had minimal overlap with the fleet, offering little explanation for their bycatch.
- Black-footed albatrosses were caught more frequently than Laysan albatrosses, despite being 10 times less abundant, aligning with habitat overlap predictions.
Conclusions:
- Dynamic habitat models using telemetry data can project interactions between pelagic species and fisheries.
- This approach aids in understanding bycatch patterns and can guide conservation and management strategies for vulnerable marine species.
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