Pacific Southwest

Title: Chapter 27: Mortality of Marbled Murrelets in Gill Nets in North America

Author: Carter, Harry R.; McAllister, Michael L.C.; Isleib, M.E. "Pete"

Date: 1995

Source: In: Ralph, C. John; Hunt, George L., Jr.; Raphael, Martin G.; Piatt, John F., Technical Editors. 1995. Ecology and conservation of the Marbled Murrelet. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-152. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; p. 271-284

Station ID: GTR-PSW-152

Description: Mortality of Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) due to accidental capture in gill nets is one of the major threats to murrelet populations. Gill-net mortality of murrelets throughout their range has been occurring for several decades and probably has contributed to declines in populations, in conjunction with loss of nesting habitat and mortality from oil spills. Gill-net mortality has been best studied in Prince William Sound, Alaska, and in Barkley Sound, British Columbia. However, gill-net fishing occurs widely and it is likely that: (1) several thousand to tens of thousands of murrelets are killed annually in Alaska; (2) hundreds to thousands are probably killed annually in British Columbia; and (3) tens to hundreds may be killed annually in Washington. In the 1980Â’s, hundreds also were killed in central California although recent regulations have markedly reduced this mortality. Despite the potential impacts of gill-net mortality on murrelet populations, little has been done to examine the degree of mortality or to develop long-term solutions to reduce or eliminate net mortality. Gill-net mortality should be assessed by management agencies through the establishment of more observer programs, especially in Alaska, British Columbia, and Washington.

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Citation

Carter, Harry R.; McAllister, Michael L.C.; Isleib, M.E. "Pete"   1995.  Chapter 27: Mortality of Marbled Murrelets in Gill Nets in North America.   In: Ralph, C. John; Hunt, George L., Jr.; Raphael, Martin G.; Piatt, John F., Technical Editors. 1995. Ecology and conservation of the Marbled Murrelet. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-152. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; p. 271-284.