Bycatch rates observed during more than 1400 trawl sets off Mauritania, Northwest Africa, are shown to have been considerable during the past 4 years, with high animal abundance in Summer when the Northwest African shelf is occupied by subtropical water. We demonstrate the urgency for bycatch reduction and evaluate the use of species-selective gear, a conservation method immediately available and immediately effective in waters fished through international access agreements. A modification tested in commercial trawls during the observer program guides pelagic megafauna deflected by a filter to an escape tunnel along the bottom of the trawl. This "excluder" reduces bycatch mortality of the most vulnerable megafauna species by at least 40-100% (Fisheries Research 78 [2006] 186-195). For downloads please visit http://www.xs4all.nl/~jzeebe1/z-publ.htm _______________ J.J. Zeeberg Wageningen Institute for Marine Resources and Ecosystem Studies (Imares) B.V. Haringkade 1, P.O. Box 68 1970 AB IJmuiden, The Netherlands Tel: +31 255 564 709 or 564 646 Fax: +31 255 564 644 _______________ This message is intended exclusively for the addressee. It may contain information that is confidential. Any use or publication of this e-mail message without permission of RIVO is not allowed. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify us and delete this message.