A major emerging concern is bycatch in marine fisheries, which overlaps geographically with regions we found to be declining most precipitously (Bethoney et al. 2013; Cournane et al. 2013).
In recent years, there has been increasing concern about the bycatch of Atlantic bluefin tuna on their spawning grounds in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) by pelagic longlines targeting yellowfin tuna and swordfish [8], [9], [10].
Off Australia, the sicklefin lemon shark is taken in only small numbers intentionally and as bycatch, and has been listed under Least Concern.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed the slender smooth-hound as Least Concern; it is taken as fishery bycatch but not in great numbers, and furthermore large portions of its range see minimal fishing activity.
One of the most encouraging trends in marine conservation has been the cooperation of agencies and managers concerned with different taxonomic groups to craft bycatch control and reduction plans that would benefit multiple impacted species (e.g., Project Global, http://bycatch.env.duke.edu/).edu/
Owing to the concern over high rates of sea turtle bycatch and mortality in several such fisheries [ 3], a variety of bycatch reduction technologies (BRTs), such as modifications to float lines [ 4], altering net tie-downs [ 4], use of at-sea advisory programmes [ 3] and net illumination [ 5] have been examined.
Implementing gear-based solutions to reduce bycatch in trawl fisheries can be difficult owing to fishers' concerns over the fleet-wide applicability of results from discrete, highly controlled experiments associated with the development of such innovations.
Off Australia, the only threat to this species is a very low level of bycatch in prawn trawls, and there it has been assessed as of Least Concern.
Our results allow EU Member States to discharge their responsibilities under the Habitats Directive and inform other international organisations concerning the assessment of conservation status of cetaceans and the impact of bycatch at a large spatial scale.
Reducing the "bycatch" -- unintended netting of dolphins, sea turtles and other species -- is a top concern of the agency's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
