The Convention on Migratory Species calls for tenders to assess bycatch in gill net fisheries

The Secretariat of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) has issued a tender notice for a global assessment of bycatch in gill net fisheries.

The contractor will be required to carry out a comprehensive review of gill net fisheries to assess the available information on the bycatch of seabirds, marine turtles, sharks and marine mammals, under the stewardship of the CMS Conference-appointed Scientific Councillor for Bycatch, Mr Barry Baker.  Maximum funds available for this project are USD 43 693.

Whereas there is a general interest in all migratory species, of particular concern are species listed on the CMS Appendices, many of which are threatened with extinction.  Such species include all the albatrosses and petrels listed within ACAP.

The review should also identify mitigation measures aimed at reducing mortalities of migratory species due to interactions with gill net fishing gear, and assess their effectiveness.

The specific aims and objectives of the project are to:

• 1. Carry out a comprehensive review of all global commercial and artisanal gill net fisheries to assess the available information on the bycatch of seabirds, marine turtles, sharks and marine mammals.
• 2. Where possible, for each fishery, examine recent fishing effort and bycatch information and evaluate the level of impact on non-target species, particularly CMS-listed species.
• 3. Review mitigation methods aimed at reducing mortalities of seabirds, marine turtles, sharks and marine mammals due to interactions with gill net fishing gear, and prepare a comprehensive report assessing their effectiveness, recommending mitigation methods for fisheries, and identifying areas for further research.
• 4. Prepare a report that identifies the importance of bycatch in gill net fisheries as a threat to migratory species and provides an overview of priority fisheries, regions and species which will benefit from international action through the CMS.

Send a request for the detailed tender notice and tenders to:

Ms Heidrun Frisch, Marine Mammals Officer, UNEP/CMS Secretariat, UN Campus, Hermann-Ehlers-Str. 10, 53113 Bonn, Germany; Esta dirección de correo electrónico está siendo protegida contra los robots de spam. Necesita tener JavaScript habilitado para poder verlo..

The closing date for submitting tenders is 25 October 2010.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 29 September 2010