This time of year, spiny dogfish are swimming in the water off Cape Cod and the great shearwater seabird is also passing through. That combination can be trouble when spiny dogfish gillnet fishermen bait their nets.
Scientists with the Coonamesset Farm Foundation are working with five spiny dogfish fishing vessels out of Chatham to reduce seabird bycatch, saving both birds and nets.
Liese Siemann is a CFF Senior Research Biologist. She says by working with the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance, they’ve been able to identify baiting techniques that keep seabirds out of gillnets.
“With scientists and fishermen working together, we’ve been able to demonstrate that there are ways to successfully fish but also reduce bycatch,” Siemann said. “And so, it’s good for science, it's good for the environment, it's good for the fishermen.”
The research is in its second season and, so far, the study indicates that the baiting techniques that reduce bycatch might also increase dogfish yield.
