Commercial Fishermen are Citizen Scientists: Southeast Alaska Sperm Whale Avoidance Project (SEASWAP): Successful Long-Term Science Collaboration to Study Sperm Whale and Fishing Interactions in Alaskan Waters

Since 2003, the Southeast Alaska Sperm Whale Avoidance Project (SEASWAP), a collaboration among commercial fishermen (ALFA, CBSFA), academic scientists (UAS, SIO, SSSC) and fishery managers (NOAA, ADFG), has undertaken... [ view full abstract ]

Since 2003, the Southeast Alaska Sperm Whale Avoidance Project (SEASWAP), a collaboration among commercial fishermen (ALFA, CBSFA), academic scientists (UAS, SIO, SSSC) and fishery managers (NOAA, ADFG), has undertaken research in the Gulf of Alaska to reduce interactions between sperm whales and longline gear. The problem is the removal of fish from commercial fishing gear by sperm whales, a behaviour called depredation. This behaviour increases harvesting costs, creates risks of whale entanglement, and confounds fish stock status. Fishermen are involved in SEASWAP as citizen scientists by defining study questions, setting objectives, designing and testing equipment and representing SEASWAP at conferences. The partnership with fishermen collecting data has greatly enhanced our ability to understand the magnitude of the problem. Very little was known about the current status of the sperm whale population in Alaska and the involvement of the commercial fishing fleet greatly expanded our eyes on the ocean. SEASWAP provided logbooks and cameras to fishermen who documented interactions. Photographs aided in identification of individual whales, defining local populations of sperm whales, providing critical new information. In 2004 SEASWAP added acoustic research when it became evident whales were using biosonar around the vessels. Fishermen were instrumental in modification of scientific equipment to make deployment of equipment practical on commercial vessels. This helped tremendously in increasing the study sample size to statistically testable levels in testing the efficacy of potential deterrents. The perspective of fishermen on whale behaviour, fishing gear mechanics, and possible solutions has been invaluable in understanding the behaviour and foraging ecology of sperm whales involved in depredation. SEASWAP is internationally regarded as having gained insights into a difficult to study problem through the engagement of fishermen as citizen scientists and we continue to pursue this partner research housed at the bioacoustics lab at the Sitka Sound Science Center.