25
Sep
2018

Progress on monitoring the impact of modified fishing gear in Slovenia

In the period 10th June – 20th September, three researchers worked in collaboration with a fisherman and completed 20 field outings, setting trammel nets with attached LED light deterrents. During the monitoring of the effectiveness of visual cues in reducing the bycatch of sea turtles in coastal set net fisheries, two loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) were caught and rehabilitated on board before being successfully released. Data collected as part of this fieldwork will prove useful in finding best practices for fishing gear modification that will aid sea turtle conservation in the Adriatic. The successful release of these individuals highlights the usefulness of applying simple rehabilitation procedures that are being communicated to the fishermen as part of our project activities. In addition, the impact of applying technical measures on the catch of target species will be evaluated by analysing collected data.