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POPA: Azores Fisheries Observation Programme: POPA cetacean, seabird, and sea turtle sightings in the Azores area [Programma de Observação para as Pescas dos Açores]
Contact: Machete, Miguel

Availability: Restricted
The data are withheld from general circulation and disclosure but access may be obtained on a case-by-case basis through negotiation

Description
Information collected by the observers on board the tuna fishing vessels on tuna fisheries, weather conditions, live bait fisheries, cetaceans, birds and sea turtles. more

POPA was launched in 1998 with the main goal of certifying the tuna caught around the Azores as a "dolphin safe product". This label is attributed by the non-governmental organization Earth Island Institute to catches made without mortality of cetaceans. POPA has built an extensive database with information collected by the observers on board the tuna fishing vessels. This database includes information on tuna fisheries (e.g., location of fishing events, catches, and fishing effort), weather conditions (e.g., sea surface temperature, wind and visibility), live bait fisheries (e.g., location of fishing events, catches, gears used), cetaceans (e.g., occurrences, interaction with fishing events and association with other species), birds and sea turtles (e.g., occurrences). POPA is also responsible for "Friend of the Sea" tuna fishery certification. In the late 1990’s, it became clear that the tuna industry would be seriously penalized with the absence of a "dolphin safe" certification which instigated new measures from the government and the fisheries sector. In order to achieve this certification, the Azores Fisheries Observer Programme (POPA) was funded in 1998, ensuring the absence of dolphin mortality or injury in tuna fishery. Since then, fishery and fishing products are certified by the Earth Island Institute, through the results presented by POPA. Besides that, the tuna fishery is also certified as "Friend of the Sea" which means that it is extremely selective, doesn’t harm the surrounding environment and is quite sustainable. It became the first tuna fishery in the world achieving that certification. The Programme results from an agreement among Regional Administration, Earth Island Institute, the Tuna Canning Industry Association (Pão do Mar), the Fishing Boat Owners Association (APASA) and IMAR - Instituto do Mar - through the University of The Azores Center (IMAR-DOP/Uaç), which carries out the programme. Until 2003, the Programme was supported by regional funds. Between 2003 and 2005 it became co-financed by the European Commission through the INTERREG IIIb Programme/ ORPAM project. Since then it has been exclusively supported by the regional government through the Regional Secretary of Fisheries.

Scope
Themes:
Biology > Birds, Biology > Mammals, Biology > Reptiles
Keywords:
Marine/Coastal, fishing vessel, Tuna fisheries, ANE, Azores

Geographical coverage
ANE, Azores [Marine Regions]

Temporal coverage
From 1998 on [In Progress]

Parameter
Animal sightings

Contributors
University of the Azores; Department of Oceanography and Fisheries (DOP), moredata ownerdata creator
Machete, Miguel

Related datasets
Child datasets:
POPA- Fisheries Observer Program of the Azores: Accessory species caught in the Azores tuna fishery between 2000 and 2013, more
POPA- Fisheries Observer Program of the Azores: Discards in the Azores tuna fishery from 1998 to 2013, more
POPA- Fisheries Observer Program of the Azores: Fish caught to be used as bait in the Azores tuna fishery from 1998 to 2013, more
POPA- Fisheries Observer Program of the Azores: Marine mammal sightings in the Azores between 2004 and 2013 recorded by Biosphere Expedition, more
POPA- Fisheries Observer Program of the Azores: Marine mammal sightings in the Azores tuna fishery from 1998 on: during navigation or search mode, more
POPA- Fisheries Observer Program of the Azores: Marine mammal sightings in the Azores tuna fishery from 1998 to 2013: during the capture of live bait, more
POPA- Fisheries Observer Program of the Azores: Marine mammal sightings in the Azores tuna fishery from 1998 to 2013: while fishing, more
POPA- Fisheries Observer Program of the Azores: Sea bird sightings in the Azores between 2004 and 2013 recorded by Biosphere Expedition, more
POPA- Fisheries Observer Program of the Azores: Sea turtle sightings in the Azores between 2004 and 2013 recorded by Biosphere Expedition, more
POPA- Fisheries Observer Program of the Azores: Seabird sightings in the Azores tuna fishery from 1998 to 2013: during the capture of live bait, more
POPA- Fisheries Observer Program of the Azores: Seabird sightings in the Azores tuna fishery from 1998 to 2013: while fishing, more
POPA- Fisheries Observer Program of the Azores: Seabird sightings in the Azores tuna fishery from 2000 on: during navigation or search mode, more
POPA- Fisheries Observer Program of the Azores: Tuna species caught in the Azores tuna fishery from 1998 to 2013, more
POPA- Fisheries Observer Program of the Azores: Turtle sightings in the Azores tuna fishery from 2000 on: during navigation or search mode., more
Published in:
OBIS-SEAMAP: Spatial Ecological Analysis of Megavertebrate Populations, more


Dataset status: In Progress
Data type: Data
Data origin: Monitoring: field survey
Metadatarecord created: 2011-03-31
Information last updated: 2022-08-03
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