An estimated 416,000 marine birds were taken as bycatch in North Pacific high seas driftnet fisheries during the 1990 season. The dataset provides estimates for 13 species groups and includes regression models analyzing bycatch rates against variables like location, month, and sea temperature. It was compiled by CEOS_EXTRA and published via NASA EarthData, focusing on the 1990 fishing season.
Use Cases
- Estimate total bycatch volume per fishery (e.g., Japanese squid fishery accounted for 80% of takes) for impact assessments.
- Model bycatch rates for species groups like Laysan Albatross against explanatory variables such as latitude, longitude, month, and net soak time.
- Analyze spatial and temporal trends in bycatch, such as declining rates for Laysan Albatrosses versus increasing rates for dark shearwaters over the season.
- Investigate the influence of specific vessels on bycatch rates to assess fleet representativeness in sampling.
- Examine the relationship between environmental factors like sea surface temperature and bycatch rates of dark shearwaters.
Strengths
- Provides a specific total bycatch estimate of 416,000 birds for the 1990 season.
- Includes regression models built on multiple explanatory variables: latitude, longitude, month, vessel, sea surface temperature, and net soak time.
- Covers estimates for 13 distinct seabird species or species groups.
Limitations
- Data is from a single year (1990), limiting analysis of long-term trends.
- Regression models were developed only for the Japanese squid fishery due to data completeness, reducing generalizability.
- The description notes inadequacies in the sampling design, which may affect estimate accuracy.
Provenance
- Source
- CEOS_EXTRA via NASA EarthData.
- Collection Method
- Estimates derived from assumed random sampling of unstratified driftnet fishery populations; regression models built from vessel data grouped into 5-degree latitude/longitude blocks.
- Time Range
- 1990 fishing season.
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- North Pacific high seas, covering Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese driftnet fisheries.