DOI: 10.5061/dryad.63xsj3vc4
title: Use of rapid assessments of Humboldt penguin Spheniscus humboldti bycatch in Peru and Chile to help identify conservation priorities

description: The Humboldt penguin (Spheniscus humboldti) is a vulnerable species
 endemic to the Humboldt Current System along the coasts of Peru and Chile.
 The species faces significant threats, including habitat loss, invasive
 species, contamination, climate change, and fisheries bycatch, all of
 which contribute to its declining population. This study assessed the
 bycatch of Humboldt penguins in small-scale surface and bottom gillnet and
 purse-seine fisheries using fisher surveys conducted across 39 ports in
 Peru and Chile. A total of 779 fishers were surveyed. Results showed an
 estimated total of 4,067 (± 889) penguins caught in 2023, with the highest
 bycatch associated with gillnets. Ports such as Tambo de Mora and San José
 in Peru and Coquimbo and San Antonio in Chile reported the most
 significant interactions. Spatial mapping demonstrated that areas with the
 most common bycatch events coincide with locations of larger penguin
 colonies. Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) revealed that larger mesh
 sizes (3–5 inches) and certain target species, such as corvina drum
 (Seriolella violacea) and Peruvian grunt (Anisotremus scapularis), were
 strongly associated with bycatch events. This research underscores the
 urgent need for targeted conservation strategies, including bycatch
 mitigation measures, policy reforms, and bi-national collaboration.
description: # Use of rapid assessments of Humboldt penguin Spheniscus humboldti
 bycatch in Peru and Chile to help identify conservation priorities Dataset
 DOI: [10.5061/dryad.63xsj3vc4](10.5061/dryad.63xsj3vc4) ## Description of
 the data and file structure The data were collected through interviews
 with artisanal fishers from different ports in Peru and Chile to assess
 Humboldt penguin bycatch. Surveys were conducted with only one person per
 vessel between April and November 2023. For questions referring to
 "the last year" fishers were instructed to consider the previous
 12 months. ### Files and variables #### File: PenguinBycatch_Data_en1.xlsx
 **Description:** The file includes all information used for the submitted
 manuscript. We conducted a total of 779 interviews between April 2023 and
 October 2023 in different ports in Peru and Chile. Each question from the
 interview is detailed in the first row and may have 1 or more columns
 depending on the variety of answers. Missing values are indicated as N.A.
 ##### Variables per column * A, B, and C. Date. * D. Country where the
 survey was conducted. Categorical. * E. Port, where the survey was
 conducted. Categorical. * F, G, and H. Question 1. Type of gear used by
 the fisher and mesh size (inches). Categorical. * I. Question 2. Target
 species. Categorical. * J. Question 3. If they have Humboldt penguin
 bycatch. Categorical. * K. Question 4. Which months are more common to see
 a penguin bycatch event? Categorical. * L. Question 5. How many penguins
 have been bycaught in the last year? Categorical. * M. Question 6. It says
 Yes when a fishers draw a polygon on the map to show the areas where more
 common to happen a penguin bycatch event. Categorical. * N and O. Question
 7. Condition of penguins during a bycatch event. Categorical. * P and Q.
 Question 8. Fate of penguins after a bycatch event. Categorical.