Photo: Paulo Ott/GEMARS

One of the main causes of franciscana death is accidental bycatch in fishing nets. The initiative “Diagnostics of Franciscana Bycatch in Management Area I and Community Approach to Mitigation Measures”, directed by the Baleia Jubarte  (Humpback Whale) Project, aims to study accidental bycatch in Espírito Santo and Rio de Janeiro (FMA I) in a manner that is integrated with the local fishing community and environmental organs. The goal is to arrive at solutions that can reduce the impact of accidental bycatch of this endangered species.   

Among the activities planned is a systematic data-harvesting program conducted by monitors at port, observers aboard fishing vessels and through the analysis of log books kept by the captains. Interviews with fishermen and general fisheries diagnostics will also be conducted to better understand how fishing is done along the Rio/Espírito Santo coast, and this will be backed up by a bibliographical review on how the environmental issue is perceived by the local communities, as well as workshops with the fisheries sector to consolidate the data on franciscana by-catch in FMA I.

The initiative is supported by the Franciscana Conservation Project, of which Funbio is financial manager.