Switch needed to save marine life

Switching the parts of the ocean that are closed to fishing is the best way to prevent marine life being accidentally snared in nets, according to a study.

Sharks, sea turtles and other threatened species often perish after getting tangled in fishing gear.

Marine protected areas – sections of the ocean where biodiversity is conserved – are used to reduce the unintentional catch of such animals.

But analysis led by Washington University has found that permanent marine protected areas are a relatively inefficient way to protect marine biodiversity. Instead the study supported “dynamic management” which tracks catch data and in response closes smaller areas that move year-to-year based on where species are most caught.

Maite Pons, the lead author, said: “This dynamic approach is increasingly valuable as climate change drives species into new habitats.”*