Bycatch Mitigation Information System (BMIS)
Overview
The Bycatch Mitigation Information System (BMIS) is provided by the WCPFC as a resource for fisheries managers, scientists, fishers and the general public. The database is a central repository of information on the mitigation and management of bycatch in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO).
As used in the BMIS, "bycatch" mainly refers to those species of special interest, such as seabirds, sharks and marine turtles which are incidentally caught in WCPO fisheries targeting highly migratory species, including tuna and billfish. Much of the information in the BMIS is relevant to bycatch mitigation in similar oceanic fisheries around the world.
Guided by the WCPFC Conservation and Management Measures (CMMs), fisheries in the WCPFC Convention Area are required to "...minimise...catch of non-target species, both fish and non-fish species...and promote the development and use of selective, environmentally safe and cost-effective fishing gear and techniques" and to "protect biodiversity in the marine environment". The BMIS aims to build understanding of bycatch mitigation and management among those involved in tuna and billfish fisheries and thereby assist in the adoption of these measures.
The BMIS is published on the WCPFC website so that its content may be easily shared among WCPFC Cooperating Commission Members, cooperating non-members and participating territories (collectively known as CCMs), and other stakeholders. Content will be continually updated.
Note that the inclusion of any particular reference on bycatch mitigation methods and management decisions does not imply endorsement by the WCPFC except where specifically noted, e.g. under "Decisions" and in the technical specifications for WCPFC CMMs.