Promotion of the use of Circle Hook in Southeast Asia

Abstract

Many studies on the use of circle hooks in pelagic longline fishery have demonstrated that the use of circle hooks can significantly contributed to reducing sea turtle interactions compared to industry standard J-hooks. In the Southeast Asian Region, however the impact of circle hooks on pelagic target species and others is still not clear and the efficiency of them in comparison to J-hooks is also unknown. Therefore, SEAFDEC Training Department as a technical agency in promotion of responsible fishing technologies and practices in the Region, considered it important to study the mitigation of fishery-sea turtles interaction particularly focusing the efficiency of the circle hook in comparison with the J-hook in longline fishery.