Fisheries Resources

Questionnaire surveys

The questionnaire surveys were designed to provide spatio-temporal data of gear, target species, fishing grounds, fishing effort and an initial overview of the occurrence of seabird bycatch (Lago et al. 2025: A1 Report). This approach comprised the first step in collecting coarse-scale seabird bycatch data and in covering a large area and a wide range of fishing gears.

The following are examples of questionnaire forms used during the LIFE PanPuffinus! project:

Questionnaire survey form, SPEA, Portugal (English)

Questionnaire survey form, BLM, Malta (English)

Questionnaire survey form, HOS, Greece (Greek)

Self-reporting logbooks

Self-reporting logbooks were designed for data collection by fishers themselves to obtain fishing effort, gear configuration, seabird interaction and bycatch information per fishing trip. In the second phase of the project, logbooks were adapted to include presence/absence of mitigation measures during trials (Austad et al. 2026: D1 Report).

The following are examples of self-reporting logbooks used during the initial phase of LIFE PanPuffinus! project (the number of pages is reduced from the printed version):

While the following are examples of self-reporting logbooks used during the mitigation measure trial phase of the LIFE PanPuffinus! project (the number of pages is reduced from the printed version):

Onboard observation protocol and forms

The aim of onboard observations was for experienced observers to collect various sources of data including fishing effort, seabird interaction and bycatch throughout fishing trips and operations, including during mitigation measure trials. The protocol and forms are also available for digital data input on the CyberTracker app platform.

Seabird Bycatch Mitigation Toolkit

This toolkit (prepared in English, Maltese, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Greek) is composed of independent factsheets offering a wide range of mitigation measure options, each tailored to the gear and fishing practices of the project’s longline, set-net and purse-seine fisheries. Each factsheet provides fishers with all the information needed to apply the measure effectively.

EN: AF_Toolkit_Book_(English)

MT: AF_Toolkit_Book_(Maltese)

ES: AF_Toolkit_Book_(Spanish)

PT: AF_Toolkit_Book_(Portuguese)

FR: AF_Toolkit_Book_(French)

GR: AF_Toolkit_Book_(Greek)

Position Paper: BirdLife Malta’s comments and recommendations for the implementation of the new EU fisheries control Regulation (EU) 2023/2842

Il-kummenti u r-rakkomandazzjonijiet ta’ BirdLife Malta dwar l-implimentazzjoni tar Regolamenti l-ġodda tal-UE dwar il-kontroll tas-sajd (EU) 2023/2842

A guide for identification of the seabirds most likely to be encountered by fishermen – English guide

A guide for identification of the seabirds most likely to be encountered by fishermen – Maltese guide

A guide for identification of the seabirds most likely to be encountered by fishermen – French guide

A guide for identification of the seabirds most likely to be encountered by fishermen – Greek guide