Seabird/fisheries interactions. Final report of advisory officer

In November 1998 participants of a tuna longline stakeholders meeting recommended that a technical officer be appointed to the domestic tuna fleet in order to meet with fishermen and provide assistance, advice and information on how to minimise seabird bycatch in the pelagic longline industry. This position initially commenced in March 1999, and continued until September 1999. During the course of the project, 41 fishers were successfully contacted, and productive conversations held. Tori lines were constructed for those vessels that required them. Five sea trips were undertaken during which time seabird observations were made, tori lines were tested and modified, and TDRs were deployed to study the sink rate patterns of the longline. An informal information folder was created to provide fishers with a basic reference guide to seabird bycatch mitigation.