Improved line weighting reduces seabird bycatch without affecting fish catch in the Brazilian pelagic longline fishery

Abstract Increasing the sink rate of baited hooks by adding weights in close proximity to the hook is crucial to reduce seabird mortality in pelagic longline fisheries. However, weights placed next to the hook are a cause for concern for fishing crew because they can fly back in the event of a line break, injuring deck crew. Lumo Leads, an alternative weight system designed to slide in the event of a line break, and therefore prevent accidents, were trialled in pelagic longline fisheries off southern Brazil. Four fishing trips were conducted and 26,377 hooks sampled to compare sink rates, seabird bycatch rates and catch rates of target species between three treatments: (1) 60 g Lumo Lead attached at 1.0 m from the hook; (2) 60 g Lumo Lead at 3.5 m; and (3) 60 g leaded swivels at 3.5 m from the hook. A Lumo Lead placed at 1.0 m from the hook resulted in a faster sink rate and caught fewer seabirds (0.11 birds per unit of effort [BPUE]) when compared with a Lumo Lead (0.33 BPUE) or weighted swivel (0.85 BPUE) placed at 3.5 m. The bycatch with Lumo Lead placed at 1.0 m from the hook was 90% lower than the bycatch of Lumo Lead or weighted swivel placed at 3.5 m combined. There was no difference in the catch rates of target species between the three treatments. These findings support a growing body of evidence that placing weights close to the hook reduces seabird bycatch without affecting the catchability of the target species. The high seabird bycatch rates recorded despite night setting and recommended line weighting regimes reinforces the need of simultaneous deployment of a toriline with these other two mitigation measures to reduce seabird bycatch to negligible levels in the south‐west Atlantic.