Analysis of impact of non-entangling FADs on incidental catches in the Indian Ocean tuna fishery

This document presents the results of the analysis of catch data from three purse-seiner vessels operating at the Indian Ocean using entangling (mesh surface and hanging open) and nonentangling FADs (mesh surface and hanging attached) to fish tuna. Skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis) was the main species in the reported captures, but also yellowfin (Thunnus albacares) and the bigeye tuna (T. obesus) were target species. Twelve other species, considered as by-catch, were also caught during the fishing operations.