Monitoring and elimination of bycatch of endangered and conserved species in the NE and high seas Atlantic region

Project Information

Marine Beacon

Grant agreement ID: 101135237

DOI

10.3030/101135237

EC signature date 14 November 2023

Start date 1 January 2024

End date 30 June 2028

Funded under

• Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

Total cost

€ 8 815 276,25

EU contribution

€ 8 815 251,25

Coordinated by

MARINE INSTITUTE
Ireland

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Marine Beacon (Monitoring and elimination of bycatch of endangered and conserved species in the NE and high seas Atlantic region)

Reporting period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Marine Beacon is focused on the monitoring and elimination of bycatch of endangered and conserved species in the NE and high seas Atlantic region. The main objectives of the project are to address the impact of bycatch on the decline of marine biodiversity by producing the knowledge and tools to effectively reduce the bycatch and subsequent mortality of protected, endangered and threatened species (PETS) within European waters and beyond. The project will produce state-of-the-art data products, tools and technologies, to reduce bycatch and mortality of PETS with activities including;

- Identify and overcome bycatch related knowledge gaps
- Evaluate risk of bycatch and spatio-temporal vulnerability status of PETS
- Develop next generation monitoring of PETS through AI and molecular approaches
- Develop mitigation strategies to reduce bycatch and improve post-release survival
- Quantify the effectiveness of bycatch mitigation measures with the production of tools to inform policy and management
- The collection and inclusion of stakeholder knowledge throughout the work program

The work of Marine Beacon is focused within seven case study areas encompassing multiple fisheries and various bycaught species in a variety of marine habitats, oceanographic regimes and species assemblages. The diversity of knowledge gained from working across these regions will ensure the results produced are widely applicable across European fisheries and beyond.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Work is actively underway across all Marine Beacon work packages, conducting relevant analyses and improving our knowledge on many key PETS, while laying solid groundwork for the project's next phases.

The knowledge base being developed across the project has to date focused on better understanding where PETS occur across project case study areas, in addition to where they are most vulnerable and at risk to fishing pressures. A gap analysis has been conducted to identify which are data deficient and for which we are missing knowledge on their life-history parameters, essential for building a strong understanding of their vulnerability. A significant amount of work has then focused on the application and development of habitat suitability and species distribution modelling to map distributions of bycaught species. Building on this the project has adopted a suite of risk assessment methods and tools to provide risk maps for PETS, in addition to producing vulnerability status evaluations for species across eight major taxa groups.

Technological innovations with regard to the monitoring of PETS and the mitigation of bycatch, including imaging tools, the application of eDNA and smart trawl systems, are progressing toward field testing. This has included validating eDNA methods and identifying suitable sampling protocols relevant to appropriate fisheries. AI image detection technology has been tested and refined in laboratory settings prior to the development of integrated technology for use in real world fishing operations. Appropriate bycatch deterrent devices have been selected for use in testing, with smart technology acoustic pingers being used as a deterrent for Cetaceans in the Bay of Biscay, LED lights for pinnipeds in the Celtic Seas and LED lights and electric deterrents for Elasmobranchs in the Azores. With regard to the testing of technologies to mitigate against the capture of PETS work is underway with fishers operating in Greenlandic waters, and following a successful stakeholder workshop a grid to allow for the escape pf Greenland sharks from fishing nets has been developed for testing, with initial in water testing indicating this gear is now ready for a full scientific testing phase.

All of the outputs from across the project are feeding into work relevant to policy makers and fisheries managers, as well as the wider public and fisheries stakeholders. WP7 has been laying the groundwork to ultimately deliver two complementary decision support tools, which will support managers and policy makers to effectively protect PETS in European waters. While these final outputs require results and inputs from across Marine Beacon, efforts map the inputs required for these tools will ensure timely progress across the remainder of the project. Efforts have focused on developing the use of approaches to assess the effectiveness of mitigation measures against bycatch and the EASIFISH risk assessment method has now been successfully applied in the High Seas and Azores case studies. The incorporation of knowledge from diverse sources will be vital to ensure outputs are of use, are applicable and are likely to be utilized beyond the project, ultimately contributing to healthier seas and more sustainable fisheries. The support of stakeholders in the design and development of mitigation tools and techniques requires constructive consultation and co-design and Marine Beacon has developed a state of the art discussion platform to place stakeholders form all regions and backgrounds at the center of the work of Marine Beacon.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

While significant progress is being made across Marine Beacon, at the current early stage of the project concrete results contributing to moving beyond the state of the art are still in progress. Significant steps are being made, however to improve information and knowledge on the distribution of PETS across wide ranging case study areas across the NE Atlantic and High Seas region.

Understanding on the causes of bycatch and subsequent bycatch risk for species across European waters is being improved. New and advanced monitoring and mitigations tools are bein developed and prepared for use by industry and managers. Next generation monitoring tools are being developed and tested in real world settings to enable streamlining of bycatch monitoring. The identification and development of suitable mitigation tools has also been achieved in anticipation of thorough real-world scientific testing to ensure future adoption of this technology assists fishers and managers to effectively reduce bycatch. All of the results from the project will be synthesized into targeted advice products to facilitate uptake and achieve real world results beyond state of the art. While efforts to engage stakeholders and facilitate the collection of experiential knowledge are recognized as important in marine science, achieving this can be difficult. Marine Beacon is currently moving beyond the state of the art by implementing a dissemination and discussion platform to collect such knowledge and feed it into developments across the project. This will ensure results are not only beyond the sate of the art but consider end users, which will ultimately encourage uptake and facilitate real world impacts beyond the lifespan of the project.