Effects of time-area closures on the distribution of snow crab fishing effort with respect to entanglement threat to North Atlantic right whales

Time-area closures are increasingly used to mitigate cetacean entanglement by temporarily excluding fishing effort from areas where high densities of cetaceans and fishing overlap. The effort displaced by these closures can be redistributed to the areas that remain open, changing the distribution and density of fishing effort outside the closures. These patterns were evaluated for the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence snow crab fishery by comparing recent years (2015-2017) with 2018 when time-area closures were implemented to protect North Atlantic right whales. A predictive model framework was created to test how well we could predict the response of fishers to closures. Approximately 29% of the total fishing effort was displaced by the 2018 closures, increasing effort density outside the closures by 41%. Displaced fishing effort shifted farther from the closures than predicted, into areas which, prior to 2018, had low effort density, producing a higher threat of entanglement in these new areas. Fishing effort in 2018 remained as high as 2017, despite a lower quota and reduced trap limit. Consequently, the resulting effects of time-area closures on fishing patterns outside of the closures cannot be discounted if entanglement threat to whales is to be successfully mitigated.

Automated summary

The study showed that time-area closures can displace fishing effort, leading to increased effort density outside the closures and a higher threat of entanglement in new areas. Despite restrictions on fishing in 2018, the changes in fishing patterns caused by closures still need to be addressed to successfully mitigate entanglement threats to whales.