POPA - Azores Fisheries Observation Program: Cetacean, seabird, and sea turtle sightings in the Azores area

Information collected by the observers on board the tuna fishing vessels on tuna fisheries, weather conditions, live bait fisheries, cetaceans, birds and sea turtles.

POPA was launched in 1998 with the main goal of certifying the tuna caught around the Azores as a "dolphin safe product". This label is attributed by the non-governmental organization Earth Island Institute to catches made without mortality of cetaceans. POPA has built an extensive database with information collected by the observers on board the tuna fishing vessels. This database includes information on tuna fisheries (e.g., location of fishing events, catches, and fishing effort), weather conditions (e.g., sea surface temperature, wind and visibility), live bait fisheries (e.g., location of fishing events, catches, gears used), cetaceans (e.g., occurrences, interaction with fishing events and association with other species), birds and sea turtles (e.g., occurrences). POPA is also responsible for "Friend of the Sea" tuna fishery certification. In the late 1990’s, it became clear that the tuna industry would be seriously penalized with the absence of a "dolphin safe" certification which instigated new measures from the government and the fisheries sector. In order to achieve this certification, the Azores Fisheries Observer Programme (POPA) was funded in 1998, ensuring the absence of dolphin mortality or injury in tuna fishery. Since then, fishery and fishing products are certified by the Earth Island Institute, through the results presented by POPA. Besides that, the tuna fishery is also certified as "Friend of the Sea" which means that it is extremely selective, doesn’t harm the surrounding environment and is quite sustainable. It became the first tuna fishery in the world achieving that certification. The Programme results from an agreement among Regional Administration, Earth Island Institute, the Tuna Canning Industry Association (Pão do Mar), the Fishing Boat Owners Association (APASA) and IMAR - Instituto do Mar - through the University of The Azores Center (IMAR-DOP/Uaç), which carries out the programme. Until 2003, the Programme was supported by regional funds. Between 2003 and 2005 it became co-financed by the European Commission through the INTERREG IIIb Programme/ ORPAM project. Since then it has been exclusively supported by the regional government through the Regional Secretary of Fisheries.

Citation proposal
Miguel Machete (Institute of Marine Research (IMAR)). POPA - Azores Fisheries Observation Program: Cetacean, seabird, and sea turtle sightings in the Azores area. https://services.mspdata.eu:/geonetwork/srv/api/records/9562eef8-65d4-436b-97e2-cb36217589b4

Date ( Creation ): 1998-01-01

Identifier: 9562eef8-65d4-436b-97e2-cb36217589b4

Credit: University of the Azores, Department of Oceanography and Fisheries (DOP)

Status: On going

Author

Institute of Marine Research (IMAR) - Miguel Machete

Campus of Horta Cais de Santa Cruz Horta Açores Portugal

+351-(0)292-20 04 00

Thèmes Sextant ( Theme )

/Biological Environment/Species/Fauna

GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0 ( Theme )

Mission Atlantic - Case Studies ( Theme )

North Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Mission Atlantic - BODC Parameters ( Theme )

/Biological oceanography/Birds, mammals and reptiles

Mission Atlantic - Data type (DMP) ( Theme )

Biological data

Mission Atlantic - Work Package ( Theme )

WP3 Pelagic Mapping , WP5 Assessing state, drivers and tipping points

Mission Atlantic - Resources ( Theme )

Data

Access constraints: Restricted

Other constraints: The data are withheld from general circulation and disclosure but access may be obtained on a case-by-case basis through negotiation