Saving Seabirds by Happy Accident

The cachalotera fishing system was developed to stop sperm whales and orca stealing fish off longlines in the Chilean industrial toothfish fishery. This fleet was losing 3% or more of its catch to orca and sperm whales. As well as solving the whale problem there have been zero seabird mortalities in this fishery since the introduction of the cachalotera in 2006.

Carlos says without collaboration between scientists and fishermen they may not have found a solution. The exchange of ideas and mutual respect for each other’s profession was paramount.

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