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First observations of operational interactions between bottom-trawling fisheries and South American sea lion, Otaria flavescens in south-central Chile

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 September 2012

Pablo Reyes ,
Rodrigo Hucke-Gaete  and
Juan Pablo Torres-Florez
Pablo Reyes
Affiliation:
Endesa, Grupo Líneas Base, Especialidad Ingeniería Ambiental, Gerencia Ingeniería Latam, Santa Rosa 79, Piso 9, Santiago, Chile
Rodrigo Hucke-Gaete
Affiliation:
Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnologicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile Centro Ballena Azul, Carlos Anwandter 624, Casa 4, Valdivia, Chile Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), Portales 73, Coyhaique, Chile
Juan Pablo Torres-Florez*
Affiliation:
Centro Ballena Azul, Carlos Anwandter 624, Casa 4, Valdivia, Chile Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: J.P. Torres-Florez, Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile email: jptorresflorez@uach.cl
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Abstract

This paper presents results of a study conducted on the trawling industrial fishery fleet of Merluccius gayi in south-central Chile, and the resulting interactions with the South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens). This study is based on observations made during September 2004, when incidental sea lion catch in the trawls was 6.3 sea lions/working day (1.2 sea lions/trawl−1). A total of 82 animals were incidentally caught, of which 12 were found dead, and the 70 remaining suffered from internal bleeding and/or fractures as a result of their capture. 83.3% of the fatalities occurred during nocturnal trawls, which comprise 30% of all observed trawls. Possible mechanisms of sea lion take are discussed. This note presents the first records of sea lions incidental by-catch by the trawler fleet along the south-east Pacific coast of Chile.

Keywords

by-catchmarine mammalMerluccius gayifishing mortality
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 93 , Special Issue 2: Fish and Fisheries , March 2013 , pp. 489 - 494
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2012

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