Pelagic Longline Take Reduction Team (PLTRT)
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Overview
NMFS established a take reduction team (Team) to address the incidental mortality and serious injury of long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) and short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) in the mid-Atlantic region of the Atlantic pelagic longline fishery.
The Team, under section 118 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), is charged with developing a take reduction plan (Plan) to reduce bycatch of pilot whales in the Atlantic pelagic longline fishery to a level approaching a zero mortality and serious injury rate within 5 years of implementation of the plan. For more information, please see the Federal Register notice announcing the Team [pdf]. A list of team members is also available.
The Plan
NMFS published a final rule to implement the Pelagic Longline Take Reduction Plan on May 19, 2009. The plan includes a special research area, gear modifications, outreach material, observer coverage, and captains' communications.
- Final Rule [pdf] (74 FR 23349)
- References Cited in the Final Rule [pdf]
- Environmental Assessment, Regulatory Impact Review, and Regulatory Flexibility Analysis [pdf]
NMFS published the proposed rule to implement the plan on June 24, 2008:
- Proposed Rule [pdf] (73 FR 35623)
- Proposed Rule References [pdf]
- DRAFT Environmental Assessment, Regulatory Impact Review, and Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis [pdf]
Team Meetings
- September 16, 2010 - webinar/teleconference
- Key Outcomes Memorandum [pdf]
- April 2006 - St. Petersburg, FL
- Key Outcomes Memorandum [pdf]
- January 2006 - Miami, FL
- Key Outcomes Memorandum [pdf]
- September 2005 - Falls Church, VA
- Key Outcomes Memorandum [pdf]
- June 2005 - Bethesda, MD
- Key Outcomes Memorandum [pdf]
Background
NMFS settled a lawsuit with several environmental organizations in 2003, which resulted in an agreement to convene the Team [pdf] in June 2005.
In 1996, NMFS convened the Atlantic Offshore Cetacean Take Reduction Team to address bycatch of several marine mammal stocks, including pilot whales, in the Atlantic pelagic longline, pelagic drifnet, and pair trawl fisheries. The AOCTRT submitted a final draft Plan [pdf] [6.5 MB] to NMFS in November 1996. However, the fisheries included in that draft plan changed dramatically soon after and NMFS disbanded the Team before taking final action.
- Compliance Guide for Pelagic Longline Take Reduction Plan (PLTRP) [pdf]
- Draft Atlantic Pelagic Longline Take Reduction Plan [pdf] [2.5 MB]
- Marine Mammal Handling/Release Guidelines - A Quick Reference for Atlantic Pelagic Longline Gear - Placard [pdf]
- Members of the PLTRT
- Report to Congress: Review of Commercial Fisheries' Progress Toward Reducing Mortality and Serious Injury of Marine Mammals Incidental to Commercial Fishing Operations [pdf]
- Stock Assessment Reports
- Long-finned Pilot Whale Species Information
- Members of the Team
- Risso's Dolphin Species Information
- Short-finned Pilot Whale Species Information
- Report of the Workshop on Interactions between Cetaceans and Longline Fisheries [pdf]. Apia, Samoa. November 2002. New England Aquarium Forum Series Report 03-1.
- Take Reduction Planning
Updated: October 5, 2012
