Reframing protected species interactions with commercial fishing gear: Moving toward estimating the unobservable

Traditional methods for estimating sea turtle, marine mammal, and seabird bycatch in commercial fisheries risk underestimating the number of takes, or interactions, as defined by protective legislation. We propose a conceptual framework within which fisheries interactions can be classified as observable and can be quantified through fisheries observer data, or as unobservable and can sometimes be quantified through fisheries observer data or experimental research. Some unobservable interactions will remain unquantifiable. We describe the research goal to develop methods of quantifying those interactions that are currently unquantifiable, and to assess the rate of serious injury or mortality associated with all types of fisheries interactions. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.