The Joint Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Research (JIMAR)—in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)—is conducting a project on the socioeconomic context for shark-fisher interactions in the Marianas. This project was developed in response to fisher reports of increasing losses of catch and gear to sharks, primarily in the troll and bottomfish fisheries. Interviews and community discussions with members of the fishing community document their experiences with sharks through time. Local research and management stakeholders are also being interviewed to compare stakeholder perceptions and inform the feasibility of potential mitigation strategies. Together, this information provides critical first documentation of deeper water shark interactions in the Marianas and frames it within things like local market conditions and fishery participation, while also exploring opportunities to mitigate the impacts of these interactions.

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/science-blog/learning-stakeholders-marianas-how-do-sharks-affect-fishers-and-what-can-be-done