Title: Freshwater turtle bycatch research supports science-based fisheries management
Authors: Larocque, S.M., Lake, C., Midwood, J.D., Nguyen, V.M., Blouin-Demers, B., & Cooke, S.J.
Journal: Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems
Year: 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3404
Species or groups: Painted turtles, Snapping turtles, Eastern musk turtles
Other sources of evidence: https://www.conservationevidence.com/actions/2132
Abstract: 1. Although it is sometimes difficult for researchers to ensure that their work is used
by resource managers to make informed decisions, an example where this
knowledge–action gap has been breached is in research published in Aquatic Conservation:
Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems (AQC) – among other journals – that
has assisted fisheries managers in identifying strategies for reducing freshwater
turtle bycatch in commercial hoop net fisheries in Ontario, Canada.
2. Research published in AQC has provided evidence towards a simple and effective
method for preventing turtle bycatch mortality in hoop nets, which could be
adopted by the fishers. Other research published in AQC evaluated the effect of
bycatch mortality on the probability of persistence of turtle populations with population
viability analyses, and outlined the need to minimize bycatch mortality to
prevent local extirpation. Nine other papers have been published on freshwater
turtle bycatch in Ontario, furthering our knowledge on this issue including seasonality
and temperature effects on catches, other net modifications, post-release
effects and assisted recovery, and the perspectives of fishers.
3. The research results were presented to local resource managers with further discussions
involving industry and stakeholders to minimize turtle bycatch mortality.
Over several years, researchers have provided information to resource managers;
however, when an incident of high turtle mortality caught the public eye, the
research was readily available and changes in regulations were quick to occur.
4. Reasonably good communication among researchers, resource managers, industry,
stakeholders, and the broader public allowed the rapid implementation of regulations
to mitigate freshwater turtle bycatch mortality and bridged the
knowledge–action gap between researchers and resource managers.
5. Both articles published in AQC had practical conservation impacts and were influential
in providing local resource managers with feasible solutions, and the impetus
to change regulations. These impacts extended to other jurisdictions and their
monitoring programmes, where methods to reduce turtle bycatch mortality were
also implemented.
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