Retrieval of abandoned, lost, and discarded fishing gear in Southwest Nova Scotia, Canada: Preliminary environmental and economic impacts to the commercial lobster industry

Alexa J. Goodman; Jessie McIntyre; Ariel Smith; Leah Fulton; Tony R. Walker; Craig J. Brown

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112766

Retrieval of abandoned, lost, and discarded fishing gear in Southwest Nova Scotia, Canada: Preliminary environmental and economic impacts to the commercial lobster industry

Alexa J. Goodman, Jessie McIntyre, Ariel Smith, Leah Fulton, Tony R. Walker, Craig J. Brown

Management

Résultat de recherche: Article › examen par les pairs

46 Citations (Scopus)

Résumé

Southwest Nova Scotia (SWNS) is Canada's most productive lobster (Homarus americanus) fishing region. Abandoned, lost, and discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) is widespread. This baseline study provides the first preliminary assessment of environmental and economic impacts of ALDFG on the commercial lobster industry in SWNS. Fishers conducted 60 retrieval trips, searched ~1523 km² of the seafloor and removed 7064 kg of ALDFG (comprising 66% lobster traps and 22% dragger cable). Results showed that lost traps continued to capture target and non-target species until gear degraded. A total of 15 different species were released from retrieved ALDFG, including 239 lobsters (67% were market-sized) and seven groundfish (including five species-at-risk). The present findings, combined with information on regional fishing effort and market prices, estimate that commercial losses from ALDFG can exceed $175,000 CAD annually. This baseline assessment provides useful data for government and commercial fishing stakeholders to improve ALDFG management.

Langue d'origine	English
Numéro d'article	112766
Journal	Marine Pollution Bulletin
Volume	171
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112766
Statut de publication	Published - oct. 2021

Note bibliographique

Funding Information:
This study was made possible by data collected through Coastal Action's Collaborative Remediation of Abandoned, Lost, and Discarded Fishing Gear in Southwest Nova Scotia, funded by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada's Sustainable Fisheries Solutions and Retrieval Support Contribution Program (SFSRSCP). For further information on the project please contact info@coastalaction.org. Coastal Action is a charitable organization that addresses environmental concerns throughout Nova Scotia, and this study was made possible with guidance and support from the Executive Director, Brooke Nodding, the Assistant Director, Shanna Fredericks, and the Office Manager, Julie Power. This study was also supported by Katie McClean, Rachel Walsh and Levi Cliche from the Clean Annapolis River Project (CARP), a charitable community-based non-governmental organization in the Annapolis River watershed. This study was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Grant/Award Number: RGPIN-2018-04119 to Tony R. Walker. Special thanks to our project partners and collaborators: Coldwater Lobster Association, Brazil Rock Lobster Association, CARP, Ocean Tracking Network, Ocean Frontier Institute, Small Craft Harbours, Lunenburg Regional Community Recycling Center, Fishing Gear Coalition of Atlantic Canada, the Lunenburg Foundry, Yarmouth Country Solid Waste Management, Municipality of Barrington, Municipality of Shelburne, Municipality of Digby, Terrapure Environmental Solutions, Bern Art, and fishers that assisted in at-sea data collection. We thank the reviewers for their comments that improved this paper.

Funding Information:
This study was made possible by data collected through Coastal Action's Collaborative Remediation of Abandoned, Lost, and Discarded Fishing Gear in Southwest Nova Scotia, funded by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada's Sustainable Fisheries Solutions and Retrieval Support Contribution Program (SFSRSCP) . For further information on the project please contact info@coastalaction.org . Coastal Action is a charitable organization that addresses environmental concerns throughout Nova Scotia, and this study was made possible with guidance and support from the Executive Director, Brooke Nodding, the Assistant Director, Shanna Fredericks, and the Office Manager, Julie Power. This study was also supported by Katie McClean, Rachel Walsh and Levi Cliche from the Clean Annapolis River Project (CARP), a charitable community-based non-governmental organization in the Annapolis River watershed. This study was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Grant/Award Number: RGPIN-2018-04119 to Tony R. Walker. Special thanks to our project partners and collaborators: Coldwater Lobster Association, Brazil Rock Lobster Association, CARP, Ocean Tracking Network, Ocean Frontier Institute, Small Craft Harbours, Lunenburg Regional Community Recycling Center, Fishing Gear Coalition of Atlantic Canada, the Lunenburg Foundry, Yarmouth Country Solid Waste Management, Municipality of Barrington, Municipality of Shelburne, Municipality of Digby, Terrapure Environmental Solutions, Bern Art, and fishers that assisted in at-sea data collection. We thank the reviewers for their comments that improved this paper.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Oceanography
Aquatic Science
Pollution

PubMed: MeSH publication types

Journal Article

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10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112766

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title = "Retrieval of abandoned, lost, and discarded fishing gear in Southwest Nova Scotia, Canada: Preliminary environmental and economic impacts to the commercial lobster industry",

abstract = "Southwest Nova Scotia (SWNS) is Canada's most productive lobster (Homarus americanus) fishing region. Abandoned, lost, and discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) is widespread. This baseline study provides the first preliminary assessment of environmental and economic impacts of ALDFG on the commercial lobster industry in SWNS. Fishers conducted 60 retrieval trips, searched ~1523 km2 of the seafloor and removed 7064 kg of ALDFG (comprising 66% lobster traps and 22% dragger cable). Results showed that lost traps continued to capture target and non-target species until gear degraded. A total of 15 different species were released from retrieved ALDFG, including 239 lobsters (67% were market-sized) and seven groundfish (including five species-at-risk). The present findings, combined with information on regional fishing effort and market prices, estimate that commercial losses from ALDFG can exceed $175,000 CAD annually. This baseline assessment provides useful data for government and commercial fishing stakeholders to improve ALDFG management.",

author = "Goodman, {Alexa J.} and Jessie McIntyre and Ariel Smith and Leah Fulton and Walker, {Tony R.} and Brown, {Craig J.}",

note = "Funding Information: This study was made possible by data collected through Coastal Action's Collaborative Remediation of Abandoned, Lost, and Discarded Fishing Gear in Southwest Nova Scotia, funded by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada's Sustainable Fisheries Solutions and Retrieval Support Contribution Program (SFSRSCP). For further information on the project please contact info@coastalaction.org. Coastal Action is a charitable organization that addresses environmental concerns throughout Nova Scotia, and this study was made possible with guidance and support from the Executive Director, Brooke Nodding, the Assistant Director, Shanna Fredericks, and the Office Manager, Julie Power. This study was also supported by Katie McClean, Rachel Walsh and Levi Cliche from the Clean Annapolis River Project (CARP), a charitable community-based non-governmental organization in the Annapolis River watershed. This study was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Grant/Award Number: RGPIN-2018-04119 to Tony R. Walker. Special thanks to our project partners and collaborators: Coldwater Lobster Association, Brazil Rock Lobster Association, CARP, Ocean Tracking Network, Ocean Frontier Institute, Small Craft Harbours, Lunenburg Regional Community Recycling Center, Fishing Gear Coalition of Atlantic Canada, the Lunenburg Foundry, Yarmouth Country Solid Waste Management, Municipality of Barrington, Municipality of Shelburne, Municipality of Digby, Terrapure Environmental Solutions, Bern Art, and fishers that assisted in at-sea data collection. We thank the reviewers for their comments that improved this paper. Funding Information: This study was made possible by data collected through Coastal Action's Collaborative Remediation of Abandoned, Lost, and Discarded Fishing Gear in Southwest Nova Scotia, funded by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada's Sustainable Fisheries Solutions and Retrieval Support Contribution Program (SFSRSCP) . For further information on the project please contact info@coastalaction.org . Coastal Action is a charitable organization that addresses environmental concerns throughout Nova Scotia, and this study was made possible with guidance and support from the Executive Director, Brooke Nodding, the Assistant Director, Shanna Fredericks, and the Office Manager, Julie Power. This study was also supported by Katie McClean, Rachel Walsh and Levi Cliche from the Clean Annapolis River Project (CARP), a charitable community-based non-governmental organization in the Annapolis River watershed. This study was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Grant/Award Number: RGPIN-2018-04119 to Tony R. Walker. Special thanks to our project partners and collaborators: Coldwater Lobster Association, Brazil Rock Lobster Association, CARP, Ocean Tracking Network, Ocean Frontier Institute, Small Craft Harbours, Lunenburg Regional Community Recycling Center, Fishing Gear Coalition of Atlantic Canada, the Lunenburg Foundry, Yarmouth Country Solid Waste Management, Municipality of Barrington, Municipality of Shelburne, Municipality of Digby, Terrapure Environmental Solutions, Bern Art, and fishers that assisted in at-sea data collection. We thank the reviewers for their comments that improved this paper. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Authors",

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doi = "10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112766",

language = "English",

volume = "171",

journal = "Marine Pollution Bulletin",

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T2 - Preliminary environmental and economic impacts to the commercial lobster industry

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AU - McIntyre, Jessie

AU - Smith, Ariel

AU - Fulton, Leah

AU - Walker, Tony R.

AU - Brown, Craig J.

N1 - Funding Information: This study was made possible by data collected through Coastal Action's Collaborative Remediation of Abandoned, Lost, and Discarded Fishing Gear in Southwest Nova Scotia, funded by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada's Sustainable Fisheries Solutions and Retrieval Support Contribution Program (SFSRSCP). For further information on the project please contact info@coastalaction.org. Coastal Action is a charitable organization that addresses environmental concerns throughout Nova Scotia, and this study was made possible with guidance and support from the Executive Director, Brooke Nodding, the Assistant Director, Shanna Fredericks, and the Office Manager, Julie Power. This study was also supported by Katie McClean, Rachel Walsh and Levi Cliche from the Clean Annapolis River Project (CARP), a charitable community-based non-governmental organization in the Annapolis River watershed. This study was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Grant/Award Number: RGPIN-2018-04119 to Tony R. Walker. Special thanks to our project partners and collaborators: Coldwater Lobster Association, Brazil Rock Lobster Association, CARP, Ocean Tracking Network, Ocean Frontier Institute, Small Craft Harbours, Lunenburg Regional Community Recycling Center, Fishing Gear Coalition of Atlantic Canada, the Lunenburg Foundry, Yarmouth Country Solid Waste Management, Municipality of Barrington, Municipality of Shelburne, Municipality of Digby, Terrapure Environmental Solutions, Bern Art, and fishers that assisted in at-sea data collection. We thank the reviewers for their comments that improved this paper. Funding Information: This study was made possible by data collected through Coastal Action's Collaborative Remediation of Abandoned, Lost, and Discarded Fishing Gear in Southwest Nova Scotia, funded by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada's Sustainable Fisheries Solutions and Retrieval Support Contribution Program (SFSRSCP) . For further information on the project please contact info@coastalaction.org . Coastal Action is a charitable organization that addresses environmental concerns throughout Nova Scotia, and this study was made possible with guidance and support from the Executive Director, Brooke Nodding, the Assistant Director, Shanna Fredericks, and the Office Manager, Julie Power. This study was also supported by Katie McClean, Rachel Walsh and Levi Cliche from the Clean Annapolis River Project (CARP), a charitable community-based non-governmental organization in the Annapolis River watershed. This study was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Grant/Award Number: RGPIN-2018-04119 to Tony R. Walker. Special thanks to our project partners and collaborators: Coldwater Lobster Association, Brazil Rock Lobster Association, CARP, Ocean Tracking Network, Ocean Frontier Institute, Small Craft Harbours, Lunenburg Regional Community Recycling Center, Fishing Gear Coalition of Atlantic Canada, the Lunenburg Foundry, Yarmouth Country Solid Waste Management, Municipality of Barrington, Municipality of Shelburne, Municipality of Digby, Terrapure Environmental Solutions, Bern Art, and fishers that assisted in at-sea data collection. We thank the reviewers for their comments that improved this paper. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors

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N2 - Southwest Nova Scotia (SWNS) is Canada's most productive lobster (Homarus americanus) fishing region. Abandoned, lost, and discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) is widespread. This baseline study provides the first preliminary assessment of environmental and economic impacts of ALDFG on the commercial lobster industry in SWNS. Fishers conducted 60 retrieval trips, searched ~1523 km2 of the seafloor and removed 7064 kg of ALDFG (comprising 66% lobster traps and 22% dragger cable). Results showed that lost traps continued to capture target and non-target species until gear degraded. A total of 15 different species were released from retrieved ALDFG, including 239 lobsters (67% were market-sized) and seven groundfish (including five species-at-risk). The present findings, combined with information on regional fishing effort and market prices, estimate that commercial losses from ALDFG can exceed $175,000 CAD annually. This baseline assessment provides useful data for government and commercial fishing stakeholders to improve ALDFG management.

AB - Southwest Nova Scotia (SWNS) is Canada's most productive lobster (Homarus americanus) fishing region. Abandoned, lost, and discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) is widespread. This baseline study provides the first preliminary assessment of environmental and economic impacts of ALDFG on the commercial lobster industry in SWNS. Fishers conducted 60 retrieval trips, searched ~1523 km2 of the seafloor and removed 7064 kg of ALDFG (comprising 66% lobster traps and 22% dragger cable). Results showed that lost traps continued to capture target and non-target species until gear degraded. A total of 15 different species were released from retrieved ALDFG, including 239 lobsters (67% were market-sized) and seven groundfish (including five species-at-risk). The present findings, combined with information on regional fishing effort and market prices, estimate that commercial losses from ALDFG can exceed $175,000 CAD annually. This baseline assessment provides useful data for government and commercial fishing stakeholders to improve ALDFG management.

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Retrieval of abandoned, lost, and discarded fishing gear in Southwest Nova Scotia, Canada: Preliminary environmental and economic impacts to the commercial lobster industry

Résumé

Note bibliographique

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

PubMed: MeSH publication types

Accès au document

Autres fichiers et liens

Empreinte numérique

Citer