HARRAPATU

Context

The incidental capture (bycatch) of endangered, threatened and protected (ETP) species is one of the main challenges in advancing towards ecosystem-based fisheries management. These captures occur when fishing gears targeting commercial species unintentionally interact with vulnerable species such as marine mammals, seabirds, turtles, and certain sharks and rays. Due to their low reproductive rates and reduced population sizes, this additional mortality can seriously compromise their conservation and trigger cascading impacts on the marine ecosystem.

The issue of bycatch goes beyond environmental concerns, as it also has significant socioeconomic implications for the fishing sector, including regulatory restrictions, potential spatiotemporal closures, and operational losses. Given the migratory nature of many of these species, their assessment and mitigation require a coordinated and interdisciplinary approach, supported by robust scientific data.

At both European and international levels, bycatch of protected species is recognised as a priority within key regulatory frameworks, including the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the OSPAR Convention, and within ICCAT and ICES. In this context, AZTI has been compiling data for years from logbooks, first-sale notes, and onboard and port sampling, incorporating since 2018 the mandatory recording of bycatch of ETP species.

The Harrapatu project arises in response to the need to integrate ecosystem and fisheries activity data to advance the assessment of bycatch, analyse potential mitigation measures, and evaluate the economic value of conserving protected species in the Bay of Biscay.

Objectives

The overall objective is to advance the comprehensive assessment of bycatch of ETP species, its mitigation, and the economic value associated with their conservation, through an ecosystem-based approach grounded in scientific data.

Specific objectives:

• Analyse the interaction between ETP species and fishing activities of the Basque fleet from an ecosystem perspective.
• Study the spatial and temporal distribution of ICES-prioritised species and their overlap with different fisheries, using innovative techniques such as biologging.
• Identify high-risk areas (hotspots) for bycatch through the integration of ecosystem and fishing effort data.
• Assess the interaction of small cetaceans with small-scale fishing gears using passive acoustic receivers, and explore potential mitigation measures.
• Analyse the economic and biological impacts of different management measures, including spatiotemporal closure scenarios.

Expected impact

The Harrapatu project will contribute to a better understanding of the factors driving bycatch of protected species, providing a solid scientific basis for decision-making in fisheries management. The results will enable the identification of high-risk areas and situations, the evaluation of mitigation measures, and the analysis of their ecological and economic effects.

The knowledge generated will support the implementation of ecosystem-based fisheries management, facilitating compliance with the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the achievement of Good Environmental Status, particularly regarding the Biodiversity descriptor. Furthermore, the project will provide key insights for designing effective conservation measures compatible with the viability of the fishing sector.

Funding