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International audience; The European Research project " Catch, Effort, and eCOsystem impacts of FAD-fishing " (CECOFAD) set out to improve our understanding of the use of drifting fish-aggregating devices (DFADs) in tropical purse seine tuna fisheries in open ocean ecosystems. Data from unofficial technology information related to FAD-fishing were retrieved and the changes over time in systems used for positioning buoys at-sea (radio, satellite transmitters, echo sounder buoys) were quantified. The total number of DFADs deployed at sea in the Atlantic and Indian oceans over the last ten years was estimated from 2 different approaches, based on information provided by the French tuna association and extrapolated to the other purse seiner fleets. From data collected within the FAD National Management Plan, the relationship between the number of active DFADs and the catch per Spanish purse seiner (with or without the assistance of a supply vessel), was explored. Owing to the difficulty of gathering unofficial information, the standardization of CPUE was limited to juvenile bigeye caught using DFADs and to non-standard explanatory variables provided by the French fleet. The analysis was repeated for the combined French and Spanish fleets but with a smaller number of predictors because data for the Spanish fleet was missing. However the relevance of some non-traditional factors was highlighted, in particular the needs to collate the links between each supply vessel and its associated purse seiners and the number of active DFADs per vessel. As an alternative to CPUE, direct indices of tuna abundance through the use of echo sounder buoys attached to DFADs in the Spanish fleet were investigated. Due to the heterogeneity of echo sounder buoy information several criteria for cleaning datasets before performing an " alternate " Buoy-derived Abundance Index (BAI) were identified. Nominal measurements were then standardized using a GLMM approach. Behavioral models representing the continuous process of association and disassociation under FADs, were also identified as an alternative to commercial catch data for estimating abundance. Information collected by national FAD management plans was used to explore the rate of deployment of non-entangling DFADs and the apparent survival rate of released species of incidental catch. Time-area moratoria on DFADs, introduced regularly by tuna RFMOs, are limited to the protection of juvenile tuna and do not account for the potential impact on bycatch or associated megafauna (whales and whale sharks). A simple iterative " fishing-day " model, which included realistic scenarios in terms of difference in fishing strategies between the French and Spanish fleets, was developed to investigate the consequences on tropical tuna and bycatch of introducing wide area, six-month moratoria on DFAD sets. The simulations predicted a decrease in DFAD sets and an increase in free school sets, leading to an overall decrease in tuna catch of ~100 t/yr/boat in the Atlantic Ocean and 600–1800 t/yr/boat in the Indian Ocean. The bycatch for all groups considered (other bony fishes, billfishes, sharks and turtles) decreased, except for turtle and shark in the Atlantic Ocean. Because the fishing practices were modified, whale and whale shark associated sets increased slightly in the Indian Ocean. French GPS buoy trajectories were analyzed to detect the potential damage of lost DFADs on vulnerable coastal ecosystems. This showed that, for the period 2007-2013, around 10% of the trajectories of floating objects with GPS-buoys ended with a “beaching event” in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, with significant portions of these beaching events occurring in areas with sensitive habitats, such as coral reefs. Bycatch data collected under the EU observer programs in the Indian, Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans, was used to evaluate the effect of FAD-fishing in terms of diversity. Regional differences were identified but the species diversity associated with the DFADs was found to be richer than for free school sets. One of the tasks of CECOFAD was to provide bridges between the various databases used in the project. The French versions of the Balbaya (logbooks) and ObsTuna (observer data) databases were linked using the Standard Data-Exchange Format used within the EU Data Collection Framework (DCF). This format allows a data aggregation level while respecting data confidentiality issues and should be considered as a good candidate for the exchange of data within the tropical tuna research community. Owing to the lack or imprecision of DFAD-fishing activity data, the definitions of variables required for evaluating DFAD-fishing activities that should be continuously recorded in logbooks were reviewed. On the basis on the most recent recommendations from tRFMOs the electronic fishing logbook data model (ERS) was extended to floating objects with the aim to incorporate the information required for measuring the DFAD-fishing effort and to produce indicators of the effect on the ecosystem of deploying floating objects. These extensions now include a new classification of floating objects and a detailed list of operations (including buoy activity) to be filled in by the skipper.

Tuna fisheries have been identified as one of the major threats to populations of other marine vertebrates, including sea turtles, sharks, seabirds and marine mammals. The development of technical mitigation measures (MM) in fisheries is part of the code of conduct for responsible fisheries. An in-depth analysis of the available literature regarding bycatch mitigation in tuna fisheries with special reference to elasmobranchs was undertaken. Studies highlighting promising MMs were reviewed for four tuna fisheries (longline, purse seine, driftnets and gillnet, and rod and line - including recreational fisheries). The advantages and disadvantages of different MMs are discussed and assessed based on current scientific knowledge. Current management measures for sharks and rays in tuna Regional Fishery Management Organizations (t-RFMOs) are presented. A review of relevant studies examining at-vessel and postrelease mortality of elasmobranch bycatch is provided. This review aims to help fisheries managers identify pragmatic solutions to reduce mortality on pelagic elasmobranchs (and other higher vertebrates) whilst minimizing impacts on catches of target tuna species. Recent research efforts have identified several effective MMs that, if endorsed by t-RFMOs, could reduce elasmobranchs mortality rate in international tropical purse seine tuna fisheries. In the case of longline fisheries, the number of operational effective MMs is very limited. Fisheries deploying driftnets in pelagic ecosystems are suspected to have a high elasmobranchs bycatch and their discard survival is uncertain, but no effective MMs have been field validated for these fisheries. The precautionary bans of such gear by the EU and by some t-RFMOs seem therefore appropriate. Recreational tuna fisheries should be accompanied by science-based support to reduce potential negative impacts on shark populations. Priorities for research and management are identified and discussed.

Background: Resident physicians are particularly vulnerable to suffering from work stress. The stress of residency places residents at risk for burnout and may have detrimental personal and professional effects as well as a negative influence on patient care. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the levels of perceived stress, psychological distress and burnout among a cohort of junior physicians during their first year or residency in a university teaching hospital. Methods: The study was designed as a 12-month, prospective cohort study, with surveys administered via an online tool at three designated time points: baseline, 6 and 12 month. Participants were emailed a link to the survey at the relevant time points and electronic responses were collected. The survey measures included the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) organized into three subscales: emotional exhaustation (EE), depersonalitzation (DP), and personal accomplishment (PA); and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Burned-out residents were defined as having a high EE or DP, or a low PA. Results: At baseline we obtained a response rate of 68% (52 of 76 eligible residents), with about 40% of losses in the following surveys. The mean age was 27.5 (3.2) years, about 60% of participants were women and they worked in medical specialties. Overall, burnout presence was positive in 34% of residents at 6 month, and in the 36% one year after start residency. Moreover at baseline 13% of participants showed psychological distress and this increased to 36 % at the end of the first year of residence. The mean perceived stress levels score was 25.3 (5.3) at baseline, which raised to 27.2 (5.1) and 29 (4.3) at 6 month and a year of residence.Conclusions: Our data indicate that about 40% of residents surveyed had psychological distress and could be considered burned out by one year of residency training. The findings reinforce the importance of promoting resident wellness early in residency and to educate physicians regarding self-awareness and personal health.

This document contains summary statistics of the NEI4 purse seiner fleet fishing in the Indian Ocean, as well as some information about how the data are collected. The sampling scheme, the sampling coverage, maps and diagrams representing the fishing pattern of this fleet by time and area strata. Data collection and the sampling programme for this fleet are the same as those used for the Spanish and French purse seine fleets. 'Research Group' Instituto Espanol de Oceanografia. Corazon de Maria, 8. 28002, Madrid. Spain ; Instituto Espanol de Oceanografia. PO Box 1373. S/C Tenerife. Spain ; Centre IRD de Motpellier, BP 5045 - 34 032 Montpellier Cedex01. France. Published

L'étude de la faune associée aux thonidés s'appuie sur l'embarquement d'observateurs scientifiques à bord des thoniers senneurs français et espagnols. C'est la distance entre une espèce pélagique et le banc de thons (inférieure à 650 m) qui définit si l'espèce est associée ou non au banc de thon. Les associations d'une espèce donnée avec les thonidés sont fortement liées aux types de bancs. L'analyse porte sur 432 calées. Les espèces associées aux bancs libres et aux animaux sont les plus gros albacores et patudos (de poids supérieur à 30 kg), les diodons et les exocets et les voiliers ; les espèces essentiellement associées aux objets naturels flottants sont les petits albacores et patudos (de poids inférieur à 10 kg) les marlins, les petits thonidés, les requins soyeux, les balistes, les coryphènes, les élagatis. Les objets flottants artificiels retiennent d'importantes quantités de kyphosidés et de wahoos, de requins océaniques et d'espadons. Les bancs libres se rencontrent dans le canal de Mozambique et à l'est des Seychelles. L'association avec les animaux est prépondérante au sud des Seychelles, les épaves naturelles dans la zone à l'ouest des Seychelles, les épaves artificielles dans la zone nord équatoriale et à l'est des Seychelles. (Résumé d'auteur)