Bycatch Basics
This term describes fish or animals that are accidentally caught while fishing for a different species.
Bycatch
Bycatch can hurt this aspect of the environment by reducing species and damaging ecosystems.
Biodiversity
These devices were invented to help turtles escape from shrimp nets.
Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs)
These three oceans around Canada are major fishing areas where bycatch occurs.
Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic Oceans
True or False — Bycatch has decreased in some places due to better rules and better gear.
True
This type of fishing uses huge nets that scoop up many species at once, often increasing bycatch.
Trawling
Losing too many fish by accident makes this type of industry less sustainable long-term.
The fishing industry
This type of fishing uses a single hook and reduces bycatch compared to long nets.
Pole-and-line fishing
This Canadian province is known for lobster fishing, where bycatch of species like crabs and fish can occur.
Nova Scotia
Most bycatch happens because fishing gear is not this — meaning it doesn't target only one species.
Selective
This small sea turtle species is often harmed by shrimp nets, leading to inventions like TEDs to protect them.
Sea turtles
When important species die from bycatch, it impacts this system that includes jobs and seafood businesses.
The economy
Closing certain waters during breeding seasons is an example of this type of management strategy.
Seasonal closures
Canada monitors fishing with this federal department.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)
This global trend, where more seafood is demanded worldwide, often increases bycatch pressures.
Rising seafood consumption
Bycatch is a major threat to this type of marine wildlife often caught in fishing lines or nets, including dolphins and whales.
Marine mammals
Bycatch threatens these “top predators,” which help keep the marine food web balanced.
Sharks
This technology helps fishermen see what they’re catching in real time, letting them avoid bycatch hotspots.
Electronic monitoring systems (cameras/sonar)
This marine mammal species is sometimes caught as bycatch on Canada’s East Coast, causing concern.
North Atlantic right whale
Some fisheries now use this type of “smart hook” technology to avoid catching sharks.
Magnetic or electropositive hooks
This group of animals, including albatrosses, can get caught on baited hooks and drown.
Seabirds
This term describes when a species has very few individuals left, and bycatch pushes them even closer to disappearing.
Endangerment or extinction
This global organization encourages countries to reduce bycatch through treaties and sustainable fishing rules
United Nations (UN) or FAO
This law requires Canadian fisheries to manage stocks responsibly and reduce bycatch.
The Fisheries Act
Scientists use these underwater devices to map where bycatch is most likely to happen.
Tracking tags / GPS tags