The “Coordinated Cetacean Assessment, Monitoring and Management Strategy in the Bay of Biscay and Iberian Coast Subregion (CetAMBICion)” project is finalising after two years and a half of work. Intending to present the results achieved by the project and discuss the recommendations and elements to reduce bycatch, the project partners have participated in a final... Read more »

The “Coordinated Cetacean Assessment, Monitoring and Management Strategy in the Bay of Biscay and Iberian Coast Subregion (CetAMBICion)” project is finalising after two years and a half of work. Intending to present the results achieved by the project and discuss the recommendations and elements to reduce bycatch, the project partners have participated in a final meeting of this international project. Possible future initiatives and projects that could give continuity to CetAMBICion and contribute to further increasing knowledge have also been discussed.

The event, held at the headquarters of the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO), a partner of the project, had the participation of more than 60 people among project partners, as well as the members of the project’s Advisory Board, partners of other similar initiatives and other collaborators or interested persons.

INCREASED KNOWLEDGE

During the event, the project partners shared the results of the different actions aimed at improving information on cetacean populations in the Bay of Biscay and the Iberian coast, the impact of bycatch on these species and what measures are working and should get underway to mitigate this problem in the region.

On the one hand, the project has worked to improve existing scientific knowledge about cetaceans, especially the common dolphin, bottlenose dolphin and harbour porpoise, and the threats that affect their populations, identifying the areas at most significant risk of bycatch in the Bay of Biscay. A broad panel of experts and the scientific sector has been involved, as well as public administrations and the crucial implication of the fishing sector.

Specifically, a proposal has been drawn up to assess and estimate the abundance and distribution of these cetaceans and to monitor the incidental byctach that take place during fishing activities. An analysis has also been carried out on the state of the art and the effectiveness of existing measures to deter cetacean species and avoid the bycatch.

In addition, one of the most important parts of the CetAMBICion project has been the implementation of pilot tests of devices and mitigation measures in different fishing gear, such as acoustic devices in fixed and purse seine nets, cetacean exclusion devices in trawling and the move-on rule, based on the displacement of fishing vessels from those areas where a high density of cetacean specimens is detected.

COMMITMENT TO PARTICIPATION

Another crucial pillar of this initiative has been the engagement of all interested stakeholders. More than ten workshops have been held in the three countries with the sectors involved in the marine environment, mainly the fishing sector, to report on the project’s progress and results and encourage their involvement. The aim has also been to improve their knowledge of marine environment strategies and interactions between fishing activities and cetacean populations. The conclusions of these workshops have also been exposed during the event.

Finally, transferring results is crucial, so different informative and awareness-raising materials have been prepared.

THE PROJECT

The CetAMBICion project, coordinated by the Institute of Marine Research (IIM-CSIC) and involving 15 partners from Spain, France and Portugal, aims to strengthen collaboration and scientific work between the three countries to estimate and reduce cetacean bycatch in the Bay of Biscay and Iberian Coast sub-region, in close collaboration with the fishing sector.

The initiative is part of the European Commission’s DG ENV/MSFD 2020 (Marine Strategy Framework Directive) call and the objectives are also aligned with the Habitats Directive and the Common Fisheries Policy.