Recommendation GFCM/44/2021/15 on the mitigation of fisheries impacts for the conservation of cetaceans. Country/Territory Document type Regulation Date 2021 Source FAO, FAOLEX Subject Fisheries Keyword Bycatch Community management Data collection/reporting Fishery management and conservation Fishing area Fishing gear/fishing method Marine mammals Monitoring Precautionary principle Protection of species Abstract This Recommendation encourages the contracting parties and cooperating non-contracting parties to take further actions to improve the conservation status of cetacean species and make every effort to support global and regional actions to investigate on the most appropriate measures to mitigate bycatch and depredation and implement them, as necessary, in close collaboration with the fishing communities and other relevant stakeholders. Bycatch mitigation measures shall be accompanied by an appropriate monitoring to establish the efficacy of the actions and may include, inter alia: fishing gear modifications and alternative fishing gear types, implementation of maximum potential bycatch thresholds, and time‐area fishing restrictions and closures. The contracting parties and cooperating non-contracting parties shall further enhance the collection and monitoring of data and the reporting of information on the incidental catch rates of cetaceans, in line with the FAO technical manual on Monitoring incidental catch of vulnerable species in the Mediterranean and Black Sea fisheries: methodology for data collection and the Data Collection Reference Framework. Full text English Website www.fao.org