基于GAM模型研究水温垂直结构对热带中西太平洋黄鳍金枪鱼渔获率的影响

黄鳍金枪鱼索饵水层影响延绳钓捕捞效率,而黄鳍金枪鱼索饵水层分布受水温垂直结构的影响,因此本文采用GAM模型分析次表层环境变量对延绳钓黄鳍金枪鱼渔获率的影响,评估黄鳍金枪鱼垂直水层分布对中西太平洋黄鳍金枪鱼延绳钓单位捕捞努力量渔获量(Catch Per Unite Effort, CPUE)的作用。模型结果表明,环境因子对热带中西太平洋延绳钓黄鳍金枪鱼渔获率空间分布影响明显。黄鳍金枪鱼延绳钓CPUE在2012年之后快速增多,高渔获率月份出现在北半球夏季,空间上在10°S,140°E附近区域。温跃层上界温度和深度、温跃层下界深度、18℃等温线深度、△8℃等温线深度及其和温跃层下界深度的深度差对延绳钓渔获率影响较大,是影响热带中西太平洋黄鳍金枪鱼延绳钓渔获率的关键环境因子。随着温跃层上界温度和深度值变大,延绳钓CPUE逐渐递增,对延绳钓CPUE影响密切的温度和深度分别为27～28℃和70～90 m。温跃层下界深度对延绳钓CPUE影响在250～280 m时最大;之后随着下界深度的变大,CPUE快速下降。18℃等温线深度对延绳钓CPUE影响呈现先震荡后递增的趋势,影响密切的区域在230 m深度上下。△8℃等温线深度与温跃层下界深度的差值对热带中西太平洋黄鳍金枪鱼延绳钓CPUE影响呈现先快速递减后缓慢增加的趋势,在深度差为70 m上下时影响最密切。研究结果揭示,在黄鳍金枪鱼活动水层受限或栖息水层和延绳钓作业深度相吻合时,延绳钓渔获率最高。依据黄鳍金枪鱼垂直活动水层调整延绳钓投钩,可以提高渔获率。因此,采用延绳钓CPUE进行渔场和资源评估时要考虑金枪鱼适宜垂直活动空间。     

中西太平洋镰状真鲨的生物学信息初步研究

镰状真鲨(Carcharhinus falciformis)是金枪鱼(Thunnus)延绳钓渔业中常见的兼捕鱼种之一,位于海洋食物链的顶端,对海洋物种多样性和生态系统的稳定性有重要意义,2017年10月1日作为濒危物种被正式列入濒危野生动植物种国际贸易公约附录Ⅱ中。作者根据中国金枪鱼渔业科学观察员在中西太平洋海域(7°S~9°N,149°E~150°W)采集的1 150尾镰状真鲨样本,对其叉长、体质量、繁殖和摄食等生物学信息进行初步研究与分析。结果表明:雌、雄镰状真鲨的优势叉长范围分别为80~180 cm和60~150 cm,雌性叉长均值显著大于雄性;雌、雄的叉长和体质量关系无显著性差异(ANCOVA,P0.05),叉长和体质量的幂函数关系为:W_R=9×10–6×L_F~(2.9712);雌、雄性比符合1︰1比例;镰状真鲨的鳍脚长度与叉长呈显著正相关性,其线性关系为L_C=0.1492×L_F–6.5;镰状真鲨的怀仔数为4~15尾,平均怀仔数为8尾,子宫内雌雄胚胎长度范围为24~56 cm;摄食等级以空胃率为主,其次为1级,分别为51.77%、35.07%。     

中西太平洋延绳钓渔业鲸类兼捕的空间变化及其环境影响

鲸类物种和延绳钓渔具之间的相互作用是一种全球性现象,该相互作用威胁到鲸类物种的保护和延绳钓渔业的经济可行性。尽管认识到鲸类兼捕问题,但很少对其影响进行全面评估。根据中西部太平洋渔业委员会(WCPFC)科学机构提供的2013—2019年期间的观察员数据,利用广义可加模型(GAM)分析金枪鱼延绳钓渔业中兼捕的鲸类与时空和环境因子的关系。结果表明:在中西太平洋海域,共兼捕260头鲸类,隶属于2目5科19种,主要的兼捕对象是伪虎鲸(Pseudorca crassidens)、瓶鼻海豚(Tursiops truncatus)、里氏海豚(Grampus griseus)、短鳍领航鲸(Globicephala macrorhynchus)、糙齿海豚(Steno bredanensis)等。GAM模型对BPUE的总偏差解释率为71.7%,经度的贡献率最大为34.3%,各预测变量的相对重要性分别为经度>海表温度>叶绿素a浓度>纬度>单位捕捞努力量渔获量(CPUE)。鲸类兼捕主要由空间和环境因子所决定,其中海表温度主要影响鲸类的相对丰度,叶绿素a浓度影响鲸类的分布。未来,渔业管理者...     

利用元胞自动机探讨商业性CPUE与资源量之间的关系

构造1个集鱼类资源增长、渔船捕捞及鱼群分布与渔船作业间相互作用的元胞自动机模型,以探讨鱼群探捕与渔船作业可能对商业性CPUE与资源量之间关系的影响.文中分别模拟了(1) 鱼群集中或随机分布,渔船随机分布;(2) 鱼群由随机逐渐集中,渔船通过捕捞数据也逐渐集中分布,同时规定每艘船的最大捕捞量;(3) 鱼群由分散到集中再到分散,而渔船集中在鱼群分布概率最大区;(4) 渔船从随机分布到逐渐集中分布,鱼群集中分布不变等4种渔业上客观存在的情形.在渔船随机分布的情形下,不管鱼群如何分布,商业性CPUE与资源量均呈线性关系;在鱼群分布逐渐集中、渔船由于渔民经验积累也随之逐渐集中的情形下,商业性CPUE与资源量能表现出高稳性和高贫化性的特点.由于鱼群的集散或渔船进入渔区的时间长短不一,会造成商业性CPUE与资源量负相关的现象.上述模拟情况说明,在渔业资源评估中需要关注模型应用的前提条件以及模型的完善.文中还探讨了元胞自动机在渔业资源评估中应用的可行性.     

热带印度洋黄鳍金枪鱼水平-垂直分布空间分析

为了解印度洋热带海域黄鳍金枪鱼(Thunnus albacares)延绳钓适宜渔获水温的等温线时空分布,分析黄鳍金枪鱼适宜的垂直和水平空间分布范围,采用Argo浮标剖面温度数据重构印度洋热带海域16°C和距海洋表层水温8°C(Δ8°C)的月平均等温线场,网格化计算了16°C和Δ8°C等温线深度值和下界深度差,并结合印度洋金枪鱼委员会(IOTC)黄鳍金枪鱼延绳钓渔业数据,绘制了16°C和Δ8°C等温线深度与月平均单位捕捞努力量的渔获量(CPUE)的空间叠加图,用于分析热带印度洋黄鳍金枪鱼中心渔场CPUE时空分布和高渔获率水温的等温线时空分布关系。结果表明,高值CPUE的分布表现出明显的季节性变化。16°C等温线,在东北季风期间,高值CPUE出现的地方深度值大多小于200m;西南季风期间,在15°—25°S深度可到达250m,在130—190m深度全年有高值CPUE集中出现,深度值超过300m的地方CPUE普遍较小。Δ8°C等温线,高值CPUE出现的地方深度值大多小于175m,主要在100—170m;西南季风期间,在15oS以南区域,150—300m深度,也有高值CPUE区域出现,全年深度值超过300m的地方CPUE普遍较小。全年在15oS以北纬向区域,高渔获率的垂直分布深度更加集中,在西南季风期间尤其明显。采用频次分析和经验累积分布函数计算其最适次表层环境因子分布,16°C等温线120—209m;Δ8°C等温线80—159m;与下界深度差:16°C等温线0—59m;海表以下8°C等温线50—119m。文章初步得出热带印度洋黄鳍金枪鱼中心渔场适宜的水平、垂直深度值分布区间,结果可以辅助寻找中心渔场位置,同时指导投钩深度,为热带印度洋黄鳍金枪鱼实际生产作业和资源管理提供理论支持。     

不同环境模态下空间分辨率对北太平洋柔鱼CPUE标准化的影响

单位捕捞努力量渔获量(catch per unit effort, CPUE)常被假设与渔业资源量成正比而被应用于渔业资源评估与管理中,不同的环境模态下,所选取的空间分辨率对CPUE的标准化会产生影响,从而影响对该渔业资源丰度的评价。本研究运用广义加性模型(generalized additive model, GAM),对中国在北太平洋鱿钓渔业数据进行CPUE标准化。根据北太平洋环境的差异,以160°E为界将其划分为不同的环境模态。分别对两种模态下3种空间尺度(0.25°×0.25°、0.5°×0.5°、1°×1°)的名义CPUE进行标准化,得到各自的最适GAM模型。比较不同环境模态下,各因素对CPUE标准化产生的影响;相同环境模态下,不同空间尺度对CPUE标准化产生的影响。结果表明:不同环境模态下,对CPUE标准化产生影响的变量差异较大:160°E以西海域分别为年、纬度、SST以及交互项年与纬度、月与纬度;160°E以东海域分别为纬度、年与纬度的交互项、月与纬度的交互项。同一环境模态下,不同的空间尺度最适GAM模型对CPUE标准化结果不同,根据均方误差选取0.5°×0.5°和0.25°×0.25°分别为160°E东、西海域CPUE标准化的最适空间尺度。因此,在对北太平洋柔鱼(Ommastrephes bartramii)商业性渔获数据进行标准化时,需要考虑因不同的环境模态以及不同的空间尺度而导致的CPUE标准化所出现的差异。     

中西太平洋延绳钓黄鳍金枪鱼渔场时空分布与温跃层关系

为了解热带中西太平洋延绳钓黄鳍金枪鱼(Thunnus albacares)适宜的温跃层参数分布区间,采用Argo浮标温度信息和中西太平洋渔业委员会(The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission,WCPFC)的黄鳍金枪鱼延绳钓渔获数据,绘制了热带中西太平洋月平均温跃层特征参数和月平均CPUE的空间叠加图,用于分析热带中西太平洋黄鳍金枪鱼中心渔场时空分布和温跃层特征参数间的关系。分析结果表明:热带中西太平洋温跃层上界深度、温度具有明显的季节性变化,而温跃层下界深度、温度季节性变化不明显,黄鳍金枪鱼中心渔场分布和温跃层季节性变化有关。全年中心渔场的位置分布在温跃层上界深度高值区域,随温跃层上界深度高值区域季节性南北移动。在新几内亚以东纬向区域(5°N~10°S,150°E~170°W)上界深度值全年都在70~100m之间,全年都是延绳钓黄鳍金枪鱼中心渔场。中心渔场上界温度多在26℃以上,但是在上界温度超过30℃区域,CPUE值较小。中心渔场主要分布在温跃层下界深度两条高值带之间区域,在温跃层下界深度超过300m和小于150m区域,CPUE值均偏低。中心渔场主要分布在下界温度低于13℃区域,下界温度超过17℃难以形成中心渔场。频次分析和经验累积分布函数计算其适宜温跃层特征参数分布,得出中西太平洋黄鳍金枪鱼适宜的温跃层上界温度和深度分别是27~29.9℃和70~109m;适宜的温跃层下界温度和深度分别是11~13.9℃和250~299m。文章初步得出中西太平洋黄鳍金枪鱼中心渔场温跃层各特征参数的适宜分布区间及季节变化特征,为我国金枪鱼实际生产作业提供技术支持。     

热带大西洋公海金枪鱼延绳钓海龟兼捕的初步研究

根据2007-2010年间2次科学观察员对热带大西洋公海海域(05°37′N～14°59′N,29°00′W～40°54′W)金枪鱼延绳钓渔业的调查,共投钩236次(d),兼捕到棱皮龟和太平洋丽龟2种共23尾,其中死亡8尾,兼捕率为0.03461尾/千钩(0.09746尾/次),上钩后死亡率为34.8%.兼捕海龟的位置范围为06°N～12°N,29°W～38°W.从海龟的钓获部位看,喙部占43.5%;前肢占26.1%;躯干占8.7%;喉部占8.7%;被主绳缠绕占13.0%.此外分析了不同钩深与兼捕海龟数量之间的关系,探讨了影响兼捕率和上钩后死亡率的因素,提出相关保护对策.     

吉尔伯特群岛海域大眼金枪鱼(Thunnus obesus) 栖息环境综合指数

根据2010年10月—2011年1月在吉尔伯特群岛海域利用金枪鱼延绳钓调查所取得的32个站点的大眼金枪鱼渔获数据,以及测得的温度、盐度、叶绿素、溶解氧浓度、水平海流及垂直海流数据,采用分位数回归的方法研究了各水层(80—240m,每40m为一层)中各环境因子与大眼金枪鱼渔获率的关系,建立"栖息环境综合指数(integrated habitat index,IHI)模型",并利用另外8个站点的数据验证研究结果。结果表明,(1)IHI模型的预测能力较好;(2)不同的水层影响大眼金枪鱼分布的环境因子不同,在较浅的水层(80—200m),大眼金枪鱼的渔获率与溶解氧浓度和海流相关,而在较深水层(>200m)则仅与温度相关;(3)大眼金枪鱼较适宜的栖息水层为120—160m;(4)大眼金枪鱼IHI指数分布较高的两个海域分别为2—3°S,169—175°E与1—3°S,178—180°E,建议在上述两个海域作业时,尽可能使钓具沉降到120—160m的水层,以达到减少兼捕渔获物,同时提高生产效率。     

热带太平洋中南部上层鱼类的种间关系研究

热带太平洋是世界主要的金枪鱼渔场,具有丰富的大洋渔业资源,但是目前对该区域鱼类生物群落特征的认识却十分缺乏。本文根据我国金枪鱼渔业科学观察员海上观测数据,对热带太平洋中南部海域31种上层鱼类的种间关系进行了研究,从总体关联性、种对间关联性和相关性3个方面,对种间关系进行了分析。结果表明:31个鱼种在总体上存在显著的正关联。由31个鱼种组成的465个种对中,288对为正联结,其中显著(P0.05)正联结53对;177对为负联结,其中显著(P0.05)负联结仅为6对。根据Pearson相关系数检验,该465个种对中,大部分种对的相关性不显著,但有36个种对的正相关极其显著(P0.01)。作为金枪鱼延绳钓渔业目标鱼种的大眼金枪鱼,与10个兼捕种类(黄鳍金枪鱼、长鳍金枪鱼、剑鱼、凹尾长鳍乌鲂、异鳞蛇鲭、蛇鲭、鲣鱼、蓝枪鱼、长鳍真鲨、红棱鲂)虽呈显著(P0.05)正联结,但相关性不显著。从本文结果推断,本海域大部分上层鱼类的栖息地空间或生态位存在一定的重叠,但重叠程度可能不高。在受关注的鲨鱼类中,镰状真鲨与大眼金枪鱼的种间相关性最大,表明其受主捕大眼金枪鱼的延绳钓渔业的影响可能较其它鲨鱼大。     

Full retention in tuna fisheries: Benefits,costs and unintended consequences

Several tuna regional fisheries management organizations (t-RFMOs) have adopted retention requirements for skipjack, bigeye and yellowfin tunas caught by purse seine vessels to reduce discards, create disincentives to catch small fish, and incentivize the development and adoption of more selective technologies. Although retention policies in the t-RFMOs have been limited to target tunas in purse seine fisheries, some have advocated for an expansion of those policies, and t-RFMOs could consider expanding retention policies to a greater number of species and/or to other gear types. This paper discusses the benefits and costs of broader retention policies for purse seine and longline tuna fisheries in the western and central Pacific Ocean (WCPO). Using bycatch data from observers and logbooks from the U.S. purse seine and longline fleets operating in the WCPO, this paper documents the types and magnitude of fish discarded. For the purse seine fishery, this information was used to estimate direct impacts of having to off-load at the initial point of landing in key Pacific Island ports. For the longline fishery, estimates of direct impacts were limited to Honolulu and Pago Pago, American Samoa, the two primary ports where U.S. catch is landed. Expanding retention policies beyond the target tunas and to other gear types would further reduce discarding and possibly provide stronger incentives to develop and use more selective techniques. Beyond impacts to the ecosystem and fisher behavior, adopting broader retention policies may have other implications, and this paper explores those implications on vessels, processors, and communities. In general, as is the case with most direct interventions on fishing operations, there will be both benefits and costs, and the magnitude of those impacts will depend on the scope and extent of any expanded retention policy.     

Comparison of nominal and standardized catch per unit effort data in quantifying habitat suitability of skipjack tuna in the equatorial Pacific Ocean

In the western and central Pacific Ocean, upper strata waters exhibit highly dynamic oceanographic features under ENSO variability. This has been proved to be responsible for the dynamic change of both abundance and zonal distribution of skipjack tuna(Katsuwonus pelamis). Although causality has been suggested by researchers using physical–biological interaction models, cumulative evidence needs to be obtained and the tenability of assertion needs to be tested from an ecological habitat perspecti...     

阿拉伯海鲐鱼渔场时空分布及其与海洋环境的关系

采用2016—2017年中国印度洋围拖网生产数据和同期的海表温度、叶绿素、表层海流和海面高度数据, 绘制了阿拉伯海鲐鱼Scomber australasicus围网月平均单位捕捞努力量渔获量(CPUE)和环境因子空间叠加图, 分析鲐鱼渔场与海洋环境因子之间关系, 采用频次分析和经验累积分布函数计算鲐鱼渔场最适宜的海洋环境区间。结果表明, 该海域月平均CPUE呈现先减少后增加的趋势; 围网渔场渔汛主要在东北季风期间, 从10月到翌年3月; 作业渔场重心分布在59°—62°E、13°—17°N, 具有明显的月变化, 基本呈现西南移动趋势。空间上, CPUE 分布在西边界流速较大的海域右侧, 在海流最大值和最低值中间区域。在印度洋东北季风期间, 阿拉伯海围网鲐鱼渔场适宜海表温度在25~28℃; 叶绿素浓度在0.2~0.5mg·m ^-3; 表层海流在0.05~0.25m·s ^-1; 海表高度0.2~0.35m。     

The past,present and future use of drifting fish aggregating devices (FADs) in the Indian Ocean

The use of drifting fish aggregating devices (FADs) has become the dominant practice in tropical tuna purse seine fishing. However, just as FADs can increase fishing efficiency, their use has been associated with several negative ecosystem impacts, and moves are being made to manage the use of FADs. In the evaluation of potential management options it is important to consider how fishers will respond to the introduction of control measures, which first requires an understanding of fishery and fleet dynamics. This paper addresses this need by characterising the past and present use of FADs in the Indian Ocean tropical tuna purse seine fishery. The paper describes historical trends in fishing practices, summarises spatiotemporal patterns in the use of FADs and establishes and attributes variation in FAD fishing strategies within the fleet. It also provides an overview of current FAD management policies in the Indian Ocean and examines the observed effects of existing measures on the behaviour of the purse seine fleet. Using this comprehensive understanding, the potential impact on the purse seine fleet of a number of plausible FAD management options are discussed and inferences are drawn for the future sustainability of tropical tuna purse seine fishing in the Indian Ocean.     

中西太平洋金枪鱼围网渔业鲣鱼资源的时空分布

利用灰色关联度方法及渔业地理信息系统软件Marine Explorer4.0对1990~2001年中西太平洋金枪鱼围网渔业鲣鱼资源的时空变化进行了研究,结果表明,12年间中西太平洋鲣鱼产量的空间分布可归为3类:1990、1991、1995和1996年的为第一类,鲣鱼产量的主要分布区位于西部海域;1998、1999和2001年的为第二类,鲣鱼产量的主要分布区比第一类偏东20个经度;1992、1993、1994、1997和2000年的为第三类,鲣鱼产量的主要分布区的范围比前两类广。单位捕捞努力量的鲣鱼渔获量高分布区与产量空间分布区基本相似。灰色关联度的分析表明,12年中,1998、2000、1994、1995和1999年5年的鲣鱼资源丰度较高,1990、1991、1997和2001年4年的鲣鱼资源丰度较低,1996、1992和1993年3年的鲣鱼资源丰度处于中等水平。     

中西太平洋金枪鱼围网技术及存在的问题

金枪鱼围网产量约占全球金枪鱼捕获量的70%,发展金枪鱼围网渔业具有广阔的前景.本文根据中鲁远洋渔业股份有限公司金枪鱼围网渔船的作业情况,分析了围网作业中的一些捕捞技术,并探讨了在发展该项目中存在的问题.     

印度洋鲣鱼围网资源渔场时空变化及其与ENSO的关系

鲣鱼是印度洋重要的金枪鱼种类之一,其资源丰度与海洋环境关系密切。本研究根据1980-2010年印度洋鲣鱼围网生产统计数据以及海洋环境与厄尔尼诺-南方涛动（ENSO）指数等,对印度洋鲣鱼围网资源渔场时空分布,以及厄尔尼诺年和拉尼娜年等不同尺度气候条件下鲣鱼资源渔场时空变动及其与海洋环境因子的关系进行分析。研究结果表明,1980-2010年印度洋鲣鱼围网渔获量基本保持不断增加的趋势,但CUPE值变化幅度较大,最低仅为0.68 t/d（1997年）,最高达到1.58 t/d（2002年）。同时鲣鱼资源丰度（CPUE）与Ni?o3.4区指数存在显著的负相关关系,即厄尔尼诺年,鲣鱼CPUE 随之下降,拉尼娜年,CPUE 随之上升。ENSO现象对鲣鱼渔场时空分布也有显著影响,厄尔尼诺发生时,鲣鱼围网作业渔场重心会向东、向北移动,而拉尼娜年则向西、向南移动。     

Biodiversity and environmental characteristics of the bycatch assemblages from the tropical tuna purse seine fisheries in the eastern Atlantic Ocean

The impact of human activities such as fishing has been identified as a main factor in diversity loss in the open ocean. This paper studies the diversity patterns and environmental characteristics of the bycatch assemblages in Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) and Free School sets (sets made on schools of tuna) from the tropical tuna purse seine fishery in the eastern Atlantic Ocean (35°W–15°E and 20°N–15°S). Data were collected from scientific observer programmes carried out between 2003 and 2011 on board Spanish and French fleets. The results showed different structure and diversity patterns of the bycatch assemblages depending on the fishing mode, with higher number of species and diversity found in FAD sets than in Free School sets. Bycatch assemblages showed preferences for specific oceanographic characteristics of the Atlantic Ocean, such as the equatorial and seasonal coastal upwelling systems, the Cape Lopez front system and the Guinea dome. The type of set and sea surface temperature play an important role to describe the diversity patterns of these species. These results confirm the importance of integrating different methods to study the marine ecosystem towards the correct implementation of the Ecosystem Approach to Fishery Management (EAFM).     

Bycatch governance and best practice mitigation technology in global tuna fisheries

Overexploitation of bycatch and target species in marine capture fisheries is the most widespread and direct driver of change and loss of global marine biodiversity. Bycatch in purse seine and pelagic longline tuna fisheries, the two primary gear types for catching tunas, is a primary mortality source of some populations of seabirds, sea turtles, marine mammals and sharks. Bycatch of juvenile tunas and unmarketable species and sizes of other fish in purse seine fisheries, and juvenile swordfish in longline fisheries, contributes to the overexploitation of some stocks, and is an allocation issue. There has been substantial progress in identifying gear technology solutions to seabird and sea turtle bycatch on longlines and to direct dolphin mortality in purse seines. Given sufficient investment, gear technology solutions are probably feasible for the remaining bycatch problems. More comprehensive consideration across species groups is needed to identify conflicts as well as mutual benefits from mitigation methods. Fishery-specific bycatch assessments are necessary to determine the efficacy, economic viability, practicality and safety of alternative mitigation methods. While support for gear technology research and development has generally been strong, political will to achieve broad uptake of best practices has been lacking. The five Regional Fisheries Management Organizations have achieved mixed progress mitigating bycatch. Large gaps remain in both knowledge of ecological risks and governance of bycatch. Most binding conservation and management measures fall short of gear technology best practice. A lack of performance standards, in combination with an inadequate observer coverage for all but large Pacific purse seiners, and incomplete data collection, hinders assessing measures' efficacy. Compliance is probably low due to inadequate surveillance and enforcement. Illegal, unreported and unregulated tuna fishing hampers governance efforts. Replacing consensus-based decision-making and eliminating opt-out provisions would help. Instituting rights-based management measures could elicit improved bycatch mitigation practices. While gradual improvements in an international governance of bycatch can be expected, market-based mechanisms, including retailers and their suppliers working with fisheries to gradually improve practices and governance, promise to be expeditious and effective.     

Analysis of bycatch in the South African midwater trawl fishery for horse mackerel Trachurus capensis based on observer data

The South African midwater trawl fishery targets adult horse mackerel Trachurus capensis. The bulk of the catch is taken by a single freezer-trawler, the biggest fishing vessel operating in South African waters. As fishing takes place off the south coast in ecologically sensitive areas, there are concerns about the potential impacts of this fishing operation on non-target species. Fishing behaviour and bycatch of this fishery from 2004 to 2014 were investigated by analysing observer records with regard to catch composition, volume and temporal and spatial patterns. The midwater trawl fishery was estimated to have caught 25 415 tonnes annually, with a bycatch of 6.9% of the total catch, by weight. There are species overlaps with various fisheries, namely the demersal trawl, small-pelagic, line, shark longline and squid fisheries, yet the total bycatch estimates from this fishery are generally small relative to catches taken in the target fisheries. Bycatch species with the highest average annual catches were chub mackerel Scomber japonicus, redeye roundherring Etrumeus whiteheadi, ribbonfish Lepidopus caudatus and hake Merluccius spp. Large-fauna bycatch species included sunfish Mola mola as well as a number of CITES II- and IUCN-listed species, such as Cape fur seal Arctocephalus pusillus, dusky shark Carcharhinus obscurus, smooth hammerhead shark Sphyrna zygaena and thresher sharks Alopias spp. The 97.9% observer coverage is high and the 6.9% bycatch rate low compared to other South African fisheries; however, due to the large size of the individual hauls (average of 46.3 t), the average sampling rate of 1.56% is low. Our analyses suggest that bycatch in the South African midwater trawl fishery has been lower than in other South African fisheries and similar fisheries elsewhere, but due to the combination of high catch volumes and low sampling rates, estimation errors for rare species are high and there is a substantial risk of incidental unmonitored bycatch of rare large fauna and aggregations of small fauna. This could be mitigated by spatio-temporal management of this fishery, to avoid fishing in high-risk areas, and the introduction of an electronic monitoring programme.