Cetaceans and tuna purse seine fisheries in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans: interactions but few mortalitites

A quantification of interactions between cetaceans and fishers was conducted in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. A large database of captains logbooks, 1980-2011, was analyzed along with scientific observer observations recorded between 1995 and 2011. The main areas of high co-occurrence between cetaceans and fisheries was shown to exist east of the Seychelles from December to March, the Mozambique Channel between April and May, and in offshore waster of Gabon between April and September. Cetacean associated fishing sets occurred in 3% of sets in both oceans and 0.62% of sets has encircled cetaceans. Survival rates for encircled cetaceans appear to be high. This suggests setting nets close to cetaceans has a low immediate impact to the individual species.