Floating objects have facilitated extremely high catches of tuna in every ocean, including the Indian Ocean, and potentially have two types of impact on tuna stocks [2]: overfishing (a reduction in spawning stock biomass) and a loss in potential yield (catching smaller fish and reducing the number of large breeding individuals in the stock). The extent of these impacts is complicated by differences in the resilience of the three main species of tropical tunas caught in purse seine fisheries. Fishing on www.selleckchem.com/products/Dasatinib.html floating objects is mainly associated with skipjack tuna Katsuwonus pelamis, which makes up 57–82% of the

catch using this fishing practice across all four oceans [5]. Skipjack tuna is a fast growing, highly fecund species and is generally thought to be resilient to fishing [16] and although the use of FADs has increased dramatically since the 1990s, skipjack tuna are not currently considered to be overfished in any ocean. Whilst this suggests that the use

of FADs does not in itself result in overfishing of skipjack stocks, there is concern that this situation might change with continued increase in exploitation rates using FADs in the future [17]. The proportions of yellowfin Thunnus albacares and bigeye tuna T. obesus in catches on floating objects are smaller (typically 14–25% and 4–28% respectively; Seliciclib purchase [5]), although these are mostly small or juvenile fish [6] and as such these species are thought to have less resilience to FAD fishing. Whilst stocks of yellowfin and bigeye have been overfished PtdIns(3,4)P2 in some oceans it is difficult to assess the role of FADs in this overfishing as there is no obvious pattern between the relative magnitude of the catch on floating objects and whether a stock is overfished [5] and [18]. Catches of small individuals might also result in a loss of potential yield through a reduction in the number of large spawning fish in the stock (i.e. lower yield per recruit). However, again the evaluation of these negative effects is difficult due

to uncertainty in growth rates and natural mortality of juvenile tunas and currently no definite conclusion can be drawn [9]. A more tangible ecological impact associated with FAD fishing is bycatch of non-target species. Over time floating objects attract whole communities of non-target species that can also be taken as part of the purse seine catch [6], [19] and [20]. Fishing on free-swimming schools is comparatively more selective, with bycatch 2.8–6.7 times lower than sets on floating objects [5]. Majority of the non-target species caught incidentally around floating objects are small tunas and other bony fishes [7], [8] and [20]. Many of these species are known to be fast growing and have high fecundity (see [5] for references) and thus their vulnerability to incidental capture around FADs is likely to be low.