Assessment of Harbour Porpoise Bycatch along the Portuguese and Galician Coast: Insights from Strandings over Two Decades
The Iberian harbour porpoise population is small and fisheries bycatch has been described as one of its most important threats. Data on harbour porpoise strandings collected by the Portuguese and Galician stranding networks between 2000 and 2020 are indicative of a recent mortality increase in the w...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/16/2632 |
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| author | Andreia Torres-Pereira Hélder Araújo Silvia Silva Monteiro Marisa Ferreira Jorge Bastos-Santos Sara Sá Lídia Nicolau Ana Marçalo Carina Marques Ana Sofia Tavares Myriam De Bonis Pablo Covelo José Martínez-Cedeira Alfredo López Marina Sequeira José Vingada Catarina Eira |
| author_facet | Andreia Torres-Pereira Hélder Araújo Silvia Silva Monteiro Marisa Ferreira Jorge Bastos-Santos Sara Sá Lídia Nicolau Ana Marçalo Carina Marques Ana Sofia Tavares Myriam De Bonis Pablo Covelo José Martínez-Cedeira Alfredo López Marina Sequeira José Vingada Catarina Eira |
| author_sort | Andreia Torres-Pereira |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Iberian harbour porpoise population is small and fisheries bycatch has been described as one of its most important threats. Data on harbour porpoise strandings collected by the Portuguese and Galician stranding networks between 2000 and 2020 are indicative of a recent mortality increase in the western Iberian coast (particularly in northern Portugal). Overall, in Portugal and Galicia, individuals stranded due to confirmed fishery interaction represented 46.98% of all analysed porpoises, and individuals stranded due to probable fishery interaction represented another 10.99% of all analysed porpoises. Considering the Portuguese annual abundance estimates available between 2011 and 2015, it was possible to calculate that an annual average of 207 individuals was removed from the population in Portuguese waters alone, which largely surpasses the potential biological removal (PBR) estimates (22 porpoises, CI: 12–43) for the same period. These results are conservative and bycatch values from strandings are likely underestimated. A structured action plan accounting for new activities at sea is needed to limit the Iberian porpoise population decline. Meanwhile, there is an urgent need for a fishing effort reorganization to directly decrease porpoise mortality. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:11:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d36d6802426a4fd39ec1e15a68c51742 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:11:58Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-d36d6802426a4fd39ec1e15a68c517422023-11-18T23:57:57ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152023-08-011316263210.3390/ani13162632Assessment of Harbour Porpoise Bycatch along the Portuguese and Galician Coast: Insights from Strandings over Two DecadesAndreia Torres-Pereira0Hélder Araújo1Silvia Silva Monteiro2Marisa Ferreira3Jorge Bastos-Santos4Sara Sá5Lídia Nicolau6Ana Marçalo7Carina Marques8Ana Sofia Tavares9Myriam De Bonis10Pablo Covelo11José Martínez-Cedeira12Alfredo López13Marina Sequeira14José Vingada15Catarina Eira16Department of Biology & ECOMARE/CPRAM, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalDepartment of Biology & ECOMARE/CPRAM, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalDepartment of Biology & ECOMARE/CPRAM, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalPortuguese Wildlife Society (SPVS), Estação de Campo de Quiaios, 3081-101 Figueira da Foz, PortugalPortuguese Wildlife Society (SPVS), Estação de Campo de Quiaios, 3081-101 Figueira da Foz, PortugalDepartment of Biology & ECOMARE/CPRAM, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalPortuguese Wildlife Society (SPVS), Estação de Campo de Quiaios, 3081-101 Figueira da Foz, PortugalCentre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, FCT Ed. 7, 8005-139 Faro, PortugalPortuguese Wildlife Society (SPVS), Estação de Campo de Quiaios, 3081-101 Figueira da Foz, PortugalDepartment of Biology & ECOMARE/CPRAM, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalDepartment of Biology & ECOMARE/CPRAM, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalCoordinadora para o Estudio dos Mamíferos Mariños (CEMMA), Apdo., 15-36380 Gondomar, SpainCoordinadora para o Estudio dos Mamíferos Mariños (CEMMA), Apdo., 15-36380 Gondomar, SpainDepartment of Biology & ECOMARE/CPRAM, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalInstituto da Conservação da Natureza e Florestas (ICNF), Av. da República 16, 1050-191 Lisboa, PortugalPortuguese Wildlife Society (SPVS), Estação de Campo de Quiaios, 3081-101 Figueira da Foz, PortugalDepartment of Biology & ECOMARE/CPRAM, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalThe Iberian harbour porpoise population is small and fisheries bycatch has been described as one of its most important threats. Data on harbour porpoise strandings collected by the Portuguese and Galician stranding networks between 2000 and 2020 are indicative of a recent mortality increase in the western Iberian coast (particularly in northern Portugal). Overall, in Portugal and Galicia, individuals stranded due to confirmed fishery interaction represented 46.98% of all analysed porpoises, and individuals stranded due to probable fishery interaction represented another 10.99% of all analysed porpoises. Considering the Portuguese annual abundance estimates available between 2011 and 2015, it was possible to calculate that an annual average of 207 individuals was removed from the population in Portuguese waters alone, which largely surpasses the potential biological removal (PBR) estimates (22 porpoises, CI: 12–43) for the same period. These results are conservative and bycatch values from strandings are likely underestimated. A structured action plan accounting for new activities at sea is needed to limit the Iberian porpoise population decline. Meanwhile, there is an urgent need for a fishing effort reorganization to directly decrease porpoise mortality.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/16/2632Iberian Peninsulamarine mammals<i>Phocoena phocoena</i>fisheriespotential biological removalcritically endangered |
| spellingShingle | Andreia Torres-Pereira Hélder Araújo Silvia Silva Monteiro Marisa Ferreira Jorge Bastos-Santos Sara Sá Lídia Nicolau Ana Marçalo Carina Marques Ana Sofia Tavares Myriam De Bonis Pablo Covelo José Martínez-Cedeira Alfredo López Marina Sequeira José Vingada Catarina Eira Assessment of Harbour Porpoise Bycatch along the Portuguese and Galician Coast: Insights from Strandings over Two Decades Animals Iberian Peninsula marine mammals <i>Phocoena phocoena</i> fisheries potential biological removal critically endangered |
| title | Assessment of Harbour Porpoise Bycatch along the Portuguese and Galician Coast: Insights from Strandings over Two Decades |
| title_full | Assessment of Harbour Porpoise Bycatch along the Portuguese and Galician Coast: Insights from Strandings over Two Decades |
| title_fullStr | Assessment of Harbour Porpoise Bycatch along the Portuguese and Galician Coast: Insights from Strandings over Two Decades |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment of Harbour Porpoise Bycatch along the Portuguese and Galician Coast: Insights from Strandings over Two Decades |
| title_short | Assessment of Harbour Porpoise Bycatch along the Portuguese and Galician Coast: Insights from Strandings over Two Decades |
| title_sort | assessment of harbour porpoise bycatch along the portuguese and galician coast insights from strandings over two decades |
| topic | Iberian Peninsula marine mammals <i>Phocoena phocoena</i> fisheries potential biological removal critically endangered |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/16/2632 |
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