TUESDAY 14TH JUNE
Fishing without bycatch – mitigation measures to protect sensitive species
14 June, 4PM, ACE Event Venue, Brussels
Organised by BirdLife
The ocean plays an integral role in the survival of our planet, but the climate crisis, overfishing, habitat destruction, and pollution have joined forces to push nature at sea to the brink.
One of these threats to marine species is bycatch - when fishers unintentionally catch species such as seabirds, sea turtle, marine mammals, sharks & rays in their fishing gears. More than 200,000 seabirds, and more than 44,000 sea turtles, are needlessly killed this way in in Europe annually.
Vulnerable marine species are not the only ones to suffer from it. For fishers, bycatch means damaged equipment, lost bait, lost fish, and precious time wasted removing unintentional catch from nets, lines, and hooks.
But this is an issue that can be tackled!
Join our event to learn about the different solutions available to reduce bycatch in Europe. Refreshment will be provided in the networking session after the event 🥂
EXHIBITION STUNT - Digital transition to benefit EU fishers and the ocean
14 June, 2-4PM, ESPLANADE OF European Parliament, Brussels
Technological developments are allowing cost-effective and user-friendly solutions to better manage fishing activities and protect the ocean. The use of electronic monitoring tools, such as tracking devices to identify vessel position, electronic logbooks to report catches or the installation of cameras and net sensors, increase safety at sea, effective management of marine resources and productive fishing operations.
What? An exhibition stunt where Members of the European Parliament and citizens will walk an interactive journey starting in the present, where the use of electronic monitoring tools is limited and finishing in a brighter future, where electronic monitoring contributes to having thriving marine ecosystems and sustainable fishing activities. Participants will have the opportunity to understand how these devices work and hear from experts about how their use is enabling more efficient fishing operations as well as ensuring the health of the ocean.
Who? The event, hosted by MEP Grace O’Sullivan, will count with the participation of companies and organisations, including StarFish, Collection and Localization of Satellite Data, Pelagic Data and Archipelagos, that will showcase their electronic monitoring services and explain the functioning of these devices and their benefits.
For more information, contact Irene Campmany icampmany@oceana.org
