Introduction to the Marine Policy special issue on abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear: Causes, magnitude, impacts, mitigation methods and priorities for monitoring and evidence-informed management
The prevalence and impacts of derelict crab traps in the Washington waters of the Salish Sea have... more The prevalence and impacts of derelict crab traps in the Washington waters of the Salish Sea have been well documented by partnering organizations and agencies within the region. Several efforts have been made to reduce trap loss, extract accumulated traps and reduce the impacts (i.e., Dungeness crab mortality, habitat degradation) of traps that become derelict. When properly equipped with legally compliant biodegradable escape cord, a derelict trap becomes "disabled" upon escape cord degradation, allowing an egress route for entrapped crab to escape. However, among the multiple trap designs commonly used in the region, the effectiveness of escapement varies. A laboratory experiment simulating derelict traps was conducted to analyze the escapement effectiveness of 13 trap designs, some equipped with simple modifications. The least successful trap designs in allowing crab escapement were those with escape routes that require crab to push open a door situated on the topside of the trap, offset from the edge. Escapement effectiveness in these traps improved when equipped with a bungee, designed to spring the door open upon escape cord degradation, but escape rates still did not reach the desired 1.00 escapee per crab tested. The traps most successful at allowing crab escapement were those that provided an unobstructed escape panel either on the wall of the trap or along the edge of the topside of the trap. Traps that are not initially designed with this feature can be easily modified by detaching one escape ring, and re-attaching it with escape cord. The opening in the trap following escape cord degradation from the ring falling to the seafloor provides crab the ability to freely escape. This was the first reporting of escapement effectiveness from derelict crab traps of the region, and results can assist in resource management and gear manufacturing decisions.
Observed impacts of derelict fishing nets on rocky reef habitats and associated species in Puget Sound
Over 4,500 derelict fishing nets have been removed from Puget Sound since 2002. These derelict fi... more Over 4,500 derelict fishing nets have been removed from Puget Sound since 2002. These derelict fishing nets cause harm to marine habitats and species. Nets are often found draped over rocky reef habitat and kelp, causing sedimentation, smothering habitat and cutting off access to valuable habitat for marine species. In Hood Canal, derelict nets were found draped across centuries-old cloud sponge (Aphrocallistes vastus) reefs, the reef scraped bare beneath. The 4,597 nets removed as of December 31, 2013 were degrading over 600 acres of marine habitats comprised of: mud; boulders on sand, mud and gravel; aquatic vegetation; and low and high relief rocky substrate. Approximately 44% or 2,027 of removed derelict nets were encountered in rocky reef habitats. Previous monitoring of derelict net removal sites showed that the habitats degraded by derelict fishing nets recovered within a single growing season after removal operations. Additional qualitative observations from derelict gear removal divers note the recovery of rocky habitats, such as those at Lawson Reef and South Lopez Island, with abundant fish and other sessile animals moving into the areas after derelict fishing gear removal. Animals become entangled and injured in the derelict nets and, unable to escape, perish. These animals attract scavengers, which become entangled as well. Sometimes, derelict nets stay suspended in the water column or are draped over reefs. Smaller fish hide behind the nets, attracting predators such as birds and fish, which become entangled and die in the nets. Of the 263 unique species observed in removed derelict fishing nets, 77% (203 species) have been found in rocky reef habitats, illustrating the importance of these habitats for multiple species. Using a catch rate model developed by researchers at UC Davis using our data, we can estimate the annual catch rate of these nets based on the animals found in them. We estimate that the 2,027 nets removed from rocky habitats were entangling 395 mammals, 10,445 birds, 41,143 fish, and 1,366,692 invertebrates annually each year the nets were derelict. While many species were have been found in derelict nets removed from a variety of habitats, some species of animals were observed more frequently in nets encountered in rocky habitats. Examples include: northern abalone, Haliotis kamtschatkana; Puget Sound king crab, Lopholithodes mandtii; greenling, Hexagrammos decagrammus or Hexagrammos sp.; lingcod, Ophiodon elongatus; and rockfish, Sebastes sp. or Scorpaenidae sp. Derelict fishing nets in rocky habitats have significant impacts on species associated with these habitats. For example, we can estimate that nets removed from rocky habitats were entangling 4,317 rockfish every year they were derelict
A comprehensive, multi-stakeholder plan to prevent negative impacts from lost crab pots in Puget ... more A comprehensive, multi-stakeholder plan to prevent negative impacts from lost crab pots in Puget Sound. The plan was developed by the Northwest Striats Foundation and was designed to be implemented in three years (2016-2019) and then updated. Stakeholders involved in the planning include state and Tribal fisheries managers, recreational fishers, vessel traffic interests, NGOs, NOAA, fisheries consultants, and county-based Marine Resources Committees. The plan includes regulatory actions, communications actions, and prevention actions.
Derelict fishing gear is a known stressor to rockfish populations in the Washington waters of the... more Derelict fishing gear is a known stressor to rockfish populations in the Washington waters of the Salish Sea, including two species currently federally protected under the Endangered Species Act. In Washington and British Columbia, rockfish bycatch in actively fished (non-derelict) prawn traps has been documented in spot prawn test fisheries conducted by state and provincial government, and both live and dead rockfish have been found in derelict prawn traps encountered during derelict fishing gear removal operations in Washington. This study calculates rockfish bycatch rates in actively fishing prawn traps and provides preliminary trap loss rates for both commercial and recreational fisheries. Rockfish bycatch rates were determined through analysis of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Spot Prawn Test Fishery Data collected from 2004 to 2013. Data from WDFW creel surveys were used to update preliminary prawn trap loss rates. Interviews with WDFW marine enforcement officers were conducted to estimate the number of lost traps that are recovered before becoming derelict. The overall rockfish catch rates in Washington waters of the Salish Sea were 0.023 rockfish per trap drop, with considerable spatial and temporal variability. The lowest catch rates were consistently seen in Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands and North Puget Sound); while the highest catch rates were seen in Marine Area 11 (south-central Puget Sound). The trap loss rate estimated for the recreational fishery is 2.33% of all traps fished. We estimate that over the years 2012 and 2013 an average of 653 recreational prawn traps became derelict each year. The accumulation of derelict prawn traps has a mostly unknown effect on benthic habitats of Puget Sound, which warrants additional research. While rockfish bycatch and prawn trap loss rates reported here are low, our findings support evaluating methods to reduce rockfish encounters with prawn traps.
Abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) comprises a significant amount of global marine... more Abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) comprises a significant amount of global marine debris, with diverse impacts to marine environments, wildlife, and the fishing industry. Building evidence on ALDFG is critical to holistically understand the marine debris issue, and to inform the development of solutions that reduce amounts of ALDFG sources and recover existing gear. Substantial work has been and continues to be undertaken around the world to collect data on ALDFG, much of which remains unpublished. To provide a global picture of data on ALDFG, we organized a technical session that brought together seven ALDFG leaders to share their expertise in data collection, retrieval, and awareness-raising. This paper summarizes the technical session to highlight: 1) case studies that feature innovative approaches to ALDFG data collection and retrieval; 2) examples of opportunities to fill data gaps and improve our understanding of wildlife ingestion of and entanglement in ALDFG; and 3) awareness-raising through the development of a publicly accessible global ALDFG database.
Effects of nonnutritive sucking on state and activity: Term-preterm comparisons
Infant Behavior and Development, 1985
Abstract The effects of ad libitum access to a pacifier on the behavioral state and motor activit... more Abstract The effects of ad libitum access to a pacifier on the behavioral state and motor activity of preterm infants have been compared with those observed in full-term neonates. Regardless of maturity, nonnutritive sucking (NNS) decreases the amount of time spent in active states and increases that spent in quiescent states, lengthens the longest state bout, and decreases the frequency of state transitions. NNS also reduces overall motor activity as well as that during Active Sleep. Provided such ad libitum sucking opportunity, preterm infants thus appear to derive no less benefit from NNS than do term neonates. This result contrasts with an earlier finding that preterms are less soothed by NNA than are term infants.
Impacts of lost fishing nets in the U.S. portion of the Salish Sea
Marine Policy
The negative impact of lost (or derelict) gillnets on marine species and habitats has been report... more The negative impact of lost (or derelict) gillnets on marine species and habitats has been reported for decades in the U.S. portion of the Salish Sea. Impacts of derelict nets are recognized as stressors to taxa listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA), including rockfish and marbled murrelet. This study reports results from a concerted effort to remove derelict nets from the marine environment conducted using diver retrieval methods from 2002 through 2021. Also reported are results from a Reporting, Response, and Retrieval (RRR) Program designed to retrieve newly lost nets that was implemented in 2012. A total of 5638 unique derelict nets or portions of nets was removed. Nets measured a total of 11.6 km 2. The majority of nets were recovered from habitats of boulders on sand/mud/gravel, followed by low-relief rocky substrate, and high-relief rocky substrate. Age, water depth, and suspension in the water column are reported for all nets removed. A total of 126,308 individual species impacts representing 119 unique species were documented including commercially and recreationally harvested species. The RRR Program has received 124 reports since 2012 and has proved effective at reducing re-accumulation and long-term species and habitat impacts from lost fishing nets. Recommendations to increase its effectiveness include continued outreach to fishers to encourage compliance with the mandated reporting coupled with increased penalties for not reporting. Systematic retrieval of derelict nets coupled with a program to rapidly retrieve newly lost nets could serve as a model for other coastal net fisheries.
Uploads
Papers by Joan Drinkwin