The Global Bycatch Exchange, administered by the BalanceBlue Lab at the New England Aquarium, is an online platform for the “community of practice” of scientists, fishers, fishing gear engineers, governments, NGOs, the seafood industry, and gear manufacturers focused on advancing appropriate solutions to fisheries and aquaculture bycatch. The long-term vision of the GBE is widespread uptake of proven bycatch reduction solutions through: (1) increased awareness of bycatch as a critical conservation issue; (2) improved accessibility of resources that allow for the identification, selection, and implementation of effective bycatch reduction solutions; and (3) increased policy and market support for bycatch reduction.
Our next step is to convene expert working groups to help us assess the current needs of the bycatch reduction community, identify parallel and complementary initiatives, develop a long-term strategy for the online platform, and align the work of the Global Bycatch Exchange accordingly. If you or a colleague is interested in joining the Global Bycatch Exchange, participating in the working group, or providing feedback on our next steps, please fill out our community survey.