Dear marine mammal experts!

I am a researcher working on bycatch of protected marine species. We are currently developing a model to detect bycatch of harbour porpoises in gillnet fisheries using electronic monitoring systems onboard fishing vessels. Such tools are important for improving bycatch monitoring and ultimately for strengthening the protection of harbour porpoises and other vulnerable marine mammals.

 

Because confirmed bycatch events are rare, suitable images are difficult to obtain. We are therefore reaching out to the marine mammal research and management community to ask whether anyone would be willing to contribute photographs. Images of bycaught harbour porpoises are particularly valuable, but other images of harbour porpoises are also useful. In addition, images of seals (grey seal, harbour seal, and ringed seal) would be highly valuable for training and testing the model, as these species commonly interact with fisheries.

All images will be used solely for model training and validation and will not be published or shared further. If you have images that could be useful, please contact me and I will provide a secure upload link.

Your contribution would directly support the development of improved monitoring tools and more effective protection of protected marine mammal populations.

Thank you very much for your consideration.

 

Best regards, Sara Königson

 

Sara Königson

Forskare, Docent ekologi

Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Kustlaboratoriet, Institutionen för akvatiska resurser
Turistgatan 5, 453 30 Lysekil
Telefon: 010-478 4134, mobil: 070-221 59 15
sara.konigson@slu.se, www.slu.se

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