Fish aggregating devices (FADs) are floating objects typically used to attract and capture pelagic fish in industrial tuna fisheries. This study documents 9 cases, involving 31 marine mammals, of incidentally captured, killed or otherwise retrieved cetaceans and pinnipeds which were used, or presumably used, as bait for improvised fish aggregation devices (IFAD) by artisanal fishers in coastal Ecuador. At least 3 species of small cetaceans were affected, including pantropical spotted dolphin Stenella attenuata, short-finned pilot whale Globicephala macro rhynchus, pygmy killer whale Feresa attenuata and an unidentified small delphinid, as well as South American sea lions Otaria byronia which were reportedly killed on purpose for this fishing practice. A sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus and a humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae were presumably found floating at sea and opportunistically exploited as FADs. The South American sea lion represented 80.6% of marine mammals used as bait associated with FADs (25 sea lions out of 31 marine mammals), while the remaining 5 (possibly 6) cetacean species represented 19.4%. This is the first report of baited FADs in Ecuador, the extent of which is still unknown. This fishing technique has not been documented in other nations along the west coast of South America, although baiting of gillnets with marine mammal parts is common in Peru. Without fisheries management and regulation, this illegal fishing practice could rapidly expand and lead to further direct kills and conservation problems for targeted marine mammal populations in the eastern tropical Pacific. A bottom-up fisheries policy in concert with community-based conservation to ban the use of marine mammals as FAD bait is recommended.

中文翻译：

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在厄瓜多尔、东热带太平洋海域使用简易鱼类聚集装置作为诱饵的海洋哺乳动物

集鱼装置 (FAD) 是漂浮物，通常用于在工业金枪鱼渔业中吸引和捕获中上层鱼类。本研究记录了 9 起案例，涉及 31 只海洋哺乳动物，偶然捕获、杀死或以其他方式回收鲸目动物和鳍足类动物，这些鲸类和鳍足类动物被或可能被用作厄瓜多尔沿海手工渔民的简易鱼类聚集装置 (IFAD) 的诱饵。至少有 3 种小型鲸类动物受到影响，包括泛热带斑点海豚 Stenella attenuata、短鳍领航鲸 Globicephala macro rhynchus、侏儒虎鲸 Feresa attenuata 和一种身份不明的小海豚，以及据报道被杀死的南美海狮 Otaria byronia故意为这种捕鱼实践。一头抹香鲸 Physeter macrocephalus 和一头座头鲸 Megaptera novaeangliae 可能被发现漂浮在海上，并被机会主义地用作 FAD。南美海狮占 FAD 相关诱饵使用的海洋哺乳动物的 80.6%（31 只海洋哺乳动物中的 25 只海狮），而其余 5 种（可能 6 种）鲸目动物占 19.4%。这是厄瓜多尔首次报告诱饵 FAD，其程度尚不清楚。这种捕鱼技术在南美洲西海岸的其他国家没有记录，尽管在秘鲁用海洋哺乳动物部分诱饵刺网很常见。如果没有渔业管理和监管，这种非法捕鱼行为可能会迅速扩大，并导致热带太平洋东部目标海洋哺乳动物种群的进一步直接死亡和保护问题。建议采用自下而上的渔业政策与社区保护相结合，禁止使用海洋哺乳动物作为 FAD 诱饵。