Key considerations in addressing seabird and marine mammal bycatch in CCAMLR fisheries

CCAMLR achieved a significant progress in addressing seabird bycatch in its longline fisheries, model that is followed in a range of fisheries worldwide. New actual and potential challenges and opportunities are changing the scenario of conservation issues and strategies to address incidental mortality, in particular for trawl fisheries operating in the Convention area. There will likely be a need of refining and adapting the advice that WG-IMAF is providing to the Scientific Committee, and that may require the acquisition of additional data and the processing of information at a finer spatial and temporal scale, among others. In this paper we review key considerations in the addressing incidental mortality of seabirds and marine mammals in CCAMLR fisheries, identifying key issues that may require attention such as underestimations due to cryptic mortality, the need of accounting for spatial and temporal stratification of the fishing effort, bycatch analysis at a smaller scale than currently used, the potential concentration of observations in high risk areas/periods, and matters requiring monitoring and urgent resolution such as the use of net monitoring cable in continuous trawlers and whale interactions and bycatch.