There was a bit of disagreement across the floor in the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission meeting last week. A proposal was put up for a binding Conservation and Management Measure for Sea Turtles. One of the measures proposed was for large circle hooks to be used by shallow-set swordfish longliners.

Some reckoned there was plenty of published evidence to indicate their efficacy in reducing turtle mortality without reducing longline target species catch rates, but one party (the one most likely to be affected by the costs of the measure) claimed that more recent research had shown that circle hooks do not reduce turtle mortality as a result of hooking by longliners, and may even increase it.

Is anyone up-to-date on this particular issue?

Tim Adams