THE SOLUTIONS: POLE AND LINE MARINE RESERVES PURSE SEINING WITHOUT FADS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 S A I N S B U RY ’ S M A R K S & S P E N C E R W A I T R O S E T H E C O - O P ER AT I V E T E S C O A S D A M O R R IS O N ’ S J OH N W E S T P R IN C ES Taking action on FADs and purse seining HOW’S MY FISHING? The UK is the second biggest tuna market in the world, consuming 778,000,000 TINS in 2008 alone THE UK IS THE LARGEST CONSUMER OF TINNED TUNA IN EUROPE A UK PROBLEM The majority of tinned tuna worldwide is caught using fish aggregation devices (FADs) which are floating objects usually equipped with satellite-linked sonar devices. Tuna instinctively gather around the FADs, allowing them to be scooped up in vast nets known as purse seines. These purse seines are a huge curtain of net that encircles a school of tuna and then closes when a line is pulled. Sharks, rays, other fish and even turtles also get caught. 4.3M 3.2M 2.3M 1.75M 1M 1966 1976 1986 1996 2006 TUNA CAUGHT (TONNES) Shelter and protection theory Small fish are attracted by the body of the FAD and its mooring, as they offer some protection from predators. Orientation theory Fish use FADs as physical reference point. Some tuna species leave FAD at night and return during the day. HOW DO FADS ATTRACT FISH? a b a b OF 23 COMMERCIALLY EXPLOITED TUNA STOCKS 9 fully fished 4 overexploited or depleted 3 critically endangered 3 endangered 3 vulnerable to extiction TINNED TUNA TRADE GLOBAL VALUE $2.7 BILLION per annum 182,500 Tonnes of FAD bycatch per year globally. That’s equivalent to almost 1 BILLION TINS OF BYCATCH Sharks and rays More than three-quarters of species are under threat. Silky and whitetip sharks are in particular trouble from FADs. As shark fins have become increasingly valuable in countries where shark fin soup is a delicacy fewer sharks are being released. Turtles 6 of the 7 sea turtle populations are in trouble. Juvenile and threatened tuna species Purse seining on FADs is responsible for high levels of bigeye and yellowfin bycatch. 0.5 m 2 m 200 m WHAT’S THE CATCH? The fish that most purse seines are trying to catch Tuna Skipjack tuna WHAT’S BYCATCH? Non target species caught by indiscriminate fishing Small bycatch Other non target fish Larger bycatch Top predators like sharks and rays. Even marine turtles Juvenile Including threatened tuna species 70% OF TUNA PURSE SEINE FISHING USES FADS DESTRUCTIVE PURSE SEINING WITH FADS WIPED OUT WORLDWIDE UP TO 90% DWINDLING 4.3 MILLION TONNES OF TUNA CAUGHT per annum … and rising of large predatory fish stocks