Most of the seabirds entangled were common murres and rhinoceros auklets. Almost 90% of all entangled birds were entangled in the top 1/3 of the net. This result led to gear modification research to explore ways to change the top part of the net to catch fewer birds but still catch adequate numbers of targeted salmon. Recently adopted changes in fishing regulations in Washington will require fishers to change the mesh size and net material in the top part of the gill net. This mandatory regulation will go in affect in 1998 and should significantly reduce the number of incidentally killed seabirds during the gillnet fishery.
