Use of rapid assessments of fishery bycatch of Humboldt penguins Spheniscus humboldti in Peru and Chile to help identify conservation priorities
The Humboldt penguin (Spheniscus humboldti) is a threatened species endemic to the Humboldt current system along the coasts of Peru and Chile. The species faces numerous and significant threats contributing to its declining population among which one of the most concerning is incidental catch (i.e....
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| Language: | English |
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The Royal Society
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Royal Society Open Science |
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| Online Access: | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.250319 |
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| author | Eduardo Segura-Cobeña Joanna Alfaro-Shigueto Valentina Colodro Héctor Gutiérrez-Guzmán Vania Arrese-Dávila Ruben Torrejón-Zegarra Lizzett Vega Adrian Custodio-Uribe Nelly Peña-Cutimbo Joshimer Rodríguez-Salazar David Messutto Verónica Ugalde Estaban Araya Ian Tomás Andersen Muñoz Eliana Alfaro-Cordova Jeffrey C. Mangel |
| author_facet | Eduardo Segura-Cobeña Joanna Alfaro-Shigueto Valentina Colodro Héctor Gutiérrez-Guzmán Vania Arrese-Dávila Ruben Torrejón-Zegarra Lizzett Vega Adrian Custodio-Uribe Nelly Peña-Cutimbo Joshimer Rodríguez-Salazar David Messutto Verónica Ugalde Estaban Araya Ian Tomás Andersen Muñoz Eliana Alfaro-Cordova Jeffrey C. Mangel |
| author_sort | Eduardo Segura-Cobeña |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Humboldt penguin (Spheniscus humboldti) is a threatened species endemic to the Humboldt current system along the coasts of Peru and Chile. The species faces numerous and significant threats contributing to its declining population among which one of the most concerning is incidental catch (i.e. bycatch) by small-scale fisheries. This study assessed the bycatch of Humboldt penguins in small-scale surface and bottom gillnet and purse-seine fisheries using fisher surveys conducted across 39 landing sites (ports, coves and fishing villages) in Peru and Chile. A total of 779 fishers were surveyed. Results showed an estimated total of 4067 (±889 s.d.) penguins caught in 2023, with the highest bycatch associated with gillnets. Ports such as Tambo de Mora and San José in Peru and Coquimbo and San Antonio in Chile reported the most significant interactions. Spatial mapping demonstrated that areas with the most common bycatch events coincide with locations of larger penguin colonies. Multiple correspondence analysis revealed that larger mesh sizes (3–5 in (7.6 - 12.7 cm)) and certain target species, such as corvina drum (Seriolella violacea) and Peruvian grunt (Anisotremus scapularis), were strongly associated with reported bycatch events. This research underscores the urgent need for targeted conservation strategies, including bycatch mitigation measures, policy reforms and bi-national collaboration. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-41e9612da4154993bfca76839bcdcfb8 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2054-5703 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | The Royal Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Royal Society Open Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-41e9612da4154993bfca76839bcdcfb82025-08-20T04:02:06ZengThe Royal SocietyRoyal Society Open Science2054-57032025-08-0112810.1098/rsos.250319Use of rapid assessments of fishery bycatch of Humboldt penguins Spheniscus humboldti in Peru and Chile to help identify conservation prioritiesEduardo Segura-Cobeña0Joanna Alfaro-Shigueto1Valentina Colodro2Héctor Gutiérrez-Guzmán3Vania Arrese-Dávila4Ruben Torrejón-Zegarra5Lizzett Vega6Adrian Custodio-Uribe7Nelly Peña-Cutimbo8Joshimer Rodríguez-Salazar9David Messutto10Verónica Ugalde11Estaban Araya12Ian Tomás Andersen Muñoz13Eliana Alfaro-Cordova14Jeffrey C. Mangel15Pro Delphinus, Lima District, Lima Region, PeruCarrera de Biología Marina, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, PeruOikonos, Las Condes, Santiago, ChileOikonos, Las Condes, Santiago, ChilePro Delphinus, Lima District, Lima Region, PeruPro Delphinus, Lima District, Lima Region, PeruPro Delphinus, Lima District, Lima Region, PeruPro Delphinus, Lima District, Lima Region, PeruPro Delphinus, Lima District, Lima Region, PeruPro Delphinus, Lima District, Lima Region, PeruOikonos, Las Condes, Santiago, ChileOikonos, Las Condes, Santiago, ChileOikonos, Las Condes, Santiago, ChileOikonos, Las Condes, Santiago, ChilePro Delphinus, Lima District, Lima Region, PeruPro Delphinus, Lima District, Lima Region, PeruThe Humboldt penguin (Spheniscus humboldti) is a threatened species endemic to the Humboldt current system along the coasts of Peru and Chile. The species faces numerous and significant threats contributing to its declining population among which one of the most concerning is incidental catch (i.e. bycatch) by small-scale fisheries. This study assessed the bycatch of Humboldt penguins in small-scale surface and bottom gillnet and purse-seine fisheries using fisher surveys conducted across 39 landing sites (ports, coves and fishing villages) in Peru and Chile. A total of 779 fishers were surveyed. Results showed an estimated total of 4067 (±889 s.d.) penguins caught in 2023, with the highest bycatch associated with gillnets. Ports such as Tambo de Mora and San José in Peru and Coquimbo and San Antonio in Chile reported the most significant interactions. Spatial mapping demonstrated that areas with the most common bycatch events coincide with locations of larger penguin colonies. Multiple correspondence analysis revealed that larger mesh sizes (3–5 in (7.6 - 12.7 cm)) and certain target species, such as corvina drum (Seriolella violacea) and Peruvian grunt (Anisotremus scapularis), were strongly associated with reported bycatch events. This research underscores the urgent need for targeted conservation strategies, including bycatch mitigation measures, policy reforms and bi-national collaboration.https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.250319Humboldt penguinsmall-scale fisheryseabird bycatchseabird–fishery interaction |
| spellingShingle | Eduardo Segura-Cobeña Joanna Alfaro-Shigueto Valentina Colodro Héctor Gutiérrez-Guzmán Vania Arrese-Dávila Ruben Torrejón-Zegarra Lizzett Vega Adrian Custodio-Uribe Nelly Peña-Cutimbo Joshimer Rodríguez-Salazar David Messutto Verónica Ugalde Estaban Araya Ian Tomás Andersen Muñoz Eliana Alfaro-Cordova Jeffrey C. Mangel Use of rapid assessments of fishery bycatch of Humboldt penguins Spheniscus humboldti in Peru and Chile to help identify conservation priorities Royal Society Open Science Humboldt penguin small-scale fishery seabird bycatch seabird–fishery interaction |
| title | Use of rapid assessments of fishery bycatch of Humboldt penguins Spheniscus humboldti in Peru and Chile to help identify conservation priorities |
| title_full | Use of rapid assessments of fishery bycatch of Humboldt penguins Spheniscus humboldti in Peru and Chile to help identify conservation priorities |
| title_fullStr | Use of rapid assessments of fishery bycatch of Humboldt penguins Spheniscus humboldti in Peru and Chile to help identify conservation priorities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Use of rapid assessments of fishery bycatch of Humboldt penguins Spheniscus humboldti in Peru and Chile to help identify conservation priorities |
| title_short | Use of rapid assessments of fishery bycatch of Humboldt penguins Spheniscus humboldti in Peru and Chile to help identify conservation priorities |
| title_sort | use of rapid assessments of fishery bycatch of humboldt penguins spheniscus humboldti in peru and chile to help identify conservation priorities |
| topic | Humboldt penguin small-scale fishery seabird bycatch seabird–fishery interaction |
| url | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.250319 |
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