Use of rapid assessments of Humboldt penguin Spheniscus humboldti bycatch in Peru and Chile to help identify conservation priorities

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..., , , # 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 indica...,