Utilizing passive acoustic monitoring to deepen understanding of cetacean-fishing gear interactions in the basque gillnet fishery
The gillnet fishery in the Bay of Biscay has the highest bycatch of common dolphins (Delphinus delphis). However, the variety of vessels and fishing methods complicates understanding their susceptibility to incidental catches due to low sampling coverage. Given the voluntary nature of Remote Electro...
| Autores: | , , , , |
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| Formato: | artículo |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2025 |
| País: | España |
| Recursos: | Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) |
| Repositorio: | UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC |
| Idioma: | inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/452170 |
| Acesso em linha: | https://hdl.handle.net/2117/452170 https://dx.doi.org/10.5821/iwp.2025.24.13975 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palavra-chave: | Oceanography -- Research -- Spain -- Biscay Oceanography -- Equipment and supplies Underwater acoustics -- Spain -- Biscay Fishing -- Spain -- Biscay Biscay, Bay of (France and Spain) Passive acoustic monitoring Cetacean bycatch High frecuency long term recorder Artisanal fishery Oceanografia -- Investigació -- País Basc -- Biscaia Oceanografia -- Aparells i instruments Acústica submarina -- País Basc -- Biscaia Pesca -- País Basc -- Biscaia Biscaia, Golf de (França i País Basc) Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria civil::Geologia::Oceanografia Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria electrònica::Instrumentació i mesura Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria agroalimentària::Pesca |
| Resumo: | The gillnet fishery in the Bay of Biscay has the highest bycatch of common dolphins (Delphinus delphis). However, the variety of vessels and fishing methods complicates understanding their susceptibility to incidental catches due to low sampling coverage. Given the voluntary nature of Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) camera installation, passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) remains the best approach to deepen our understanding of cetacean-fishing gear interactions in the Basque gillnet fishery. In this study, two pilot deployments of hydrophones were conducted on an artisanal vessel using gillnets off the Biscayan coast in 2024. Analysis of the recordings indicated a high presence of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in August, consistent with previous studies on their distribution along the Basque coast, while no other cetaceans such as common dolphins, striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba), or porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) were detected. Variations in hydrophone depth and the presence of vessels in the area affected recording quality. Future studies should increase recording days and optimize recording parameters. This study demonstrated that hydrophones perform adequately when attached to fishing nets in Basque fisheries, allowing for the investigation of interactions with small cetaceans in this area. Understanding the acoustic behaviour of cetaceans near fishing nets can reveal interaction mechanisms and inform the development of more targeted mitigation measures. |
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