Proceedings of the Untangled symposium: - WSPA

Annex 4Submitted abstracts accompanyingposter presentationsRescueThe following abstracts are those submitted under thetheme of rescuing animals already entangled in (orotherwise affected by) marine litter.Saving humpback whales entangled in gillnetsin EcuadorCristina Castro Ayala and Gregory KaufmanPacific Whale Foundation (PWF) – EcuadorAsunción 529 y Av. América. Edificio Cajiao. 4to piso.Quito – Ecuadorcristinacastro@pacificwhale.orgCetacean bycatch in fishing gear is recognized as oneof the largest marine conservation issues worldwide.Interactions with fisheries occur mainly with artisanaland industrial fishing gillnets and both small and largecetaceans are involved. Ecuador is a major breedingarea for East Pacific humpback whales that migrate fromtheir feeding grounds in Antarctica. Off the Ecuadorianmainland, humpback whales are found in the marine areaof the Machalilla National Park from June to October.The whale watching tourism and fishing are the maineconomic activities of the Ecuadorian coastal towns.Overfishing has reduced fish stocks that producecommercial fishermen increase the effort (number ofnets) and fishing time (No. of days of netting) in searchof higher returns. In Ecuador the main gear is the gillnets surface. This gear has become marine debris thatis often lost or the charges for several days. The gill netsis plastic material and polyester fibers. They also containplastic ropes and buoys that flow from the fishing net.Since 2009 the PWF started a study to assess thelevel of interaction of cetaceans with fishing nets inMachalilla National Park. The project is based on directdata collection through field research trips in whalewatching boats. Recording and analysis of cetaceanstrandings. And awareness campaigns with fishermenand local community.From 2009 to August 2012 were 200 research trips whichfifteen humpback whales were seen towing gear or ropearound their body and these are referred to as ‘entangledanimals’. In 60% (n=9) of cases were involved in fishingnets, were exhausted and swam slowly. The fishing netwas in pectoral fins, head and tail. Another 40% (n = 6)were cases of humpback whales stranded dead withevidence of fishing gear in his mouth and body parts. Theevidence and analysis indicate that possibly stranding ofcetaceans tangled in loose pieces of trammel nets at seaWe documented six cases (40%) successful rescue ofhumpback whales, 4 adults and 2 calves. Various actorswere rescue from fishermen, coastal communities,scientists, NGOs, divers and government staff. In allcases we used knives, machetes, clippers and hooks. Allanimals had a high degree of tiredness. In most casesthe animals were rescued with direct approach.A preliminary estimate of 0,075 averaged entangledwhales/ trip. 89% of cases evidenced gillnets or trammelnets with mesh size of 5 inches, of which 10% wereelectronic (plastic mesh), 5% seines (different fibertypes), 6% undefined.The workshops with fishermen revealed the lack ofgovernment policies for the conservation of cetaceansand especially the lack of support to the fisheries sectorto find more environmentally friendly work alternatives.It requires better coordination between fisheries andenvironmental authorities, NGOs and fishing communitiesto address the problem in a comprehensive manner. Theworkshops showed that fishermen are willing to changetheir fishing gear, and try other methods that reduce theimpact on cetacean populations and improve the qualityof surface gillnets, avoiding network losses and damagecausing marine pollution problems.53