Incidental Catch of Vulnerable Species in Mediterranean and Black Sea fisheries: A Review

In the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, the incidental catch of vulnerable species – namely seabirds, sea turtles, elasmobranchs, marine mammals and corals and sponges– is one of the main threats to marine biodiversity  and one of the several challenges for the industrial, semi-industrial and small-scale fisheries.

Typically, data on this issue have been collected in a manner that make comparisons difficult. This regional review is an attempt to compile all available data and historical records on the incidental catch of vulnerable species in the Mediterranean and Black Sea fisheries.