Improving selection and survival

Our results will enhance the selectivity of fishing gears through an improved understanding and application of novel stimuli (e.g. artificial light) to manipulate the behaviour of marine organisms during the capture process, combined with already proven but under-utilised technologies (e.g. sorting grids and large mesh panels).

The project will advance specific technologies to avoid unwanted catches, to minimize effects of fishing on sensitive habitats and species (pre-harvest), and to promote the survival of unwanted catches (post-harvest).

Building on existing technology

Existing observational technologies such as Deep Vision or FishSpektrum will be advanced to systems than can be prototyped or, in specific cases, technologies will be advanced to competitive manufacturing.

The project will demonstrate and develop observational technologies to reduce pre-catch losses, by testing on pilot vessels systems such as Deep Vision in bottom trawlers and the sampling trawl in purse seiners.

The project will test artificial light as an attractor / deterrent of specific faunal types, and will advance this technology from concept to market, with field tests in bottom trawls and set gear (pots, trammel nets).

 

Delivering effective and practical solutions

The project will deliver a portfolio of innovative solutions that are effective in solving the problem of unwanted catches and that are attractive to industry.

The results of the project will demonstrate, for instance, that fishers can extract demersal fishery resources, with minimal ecological impact and low unwanted catches, by choosing an appropriate solution, such as:

  • fitting the trawl with selective devices;
  • controlling catch composition with Deep Vision;
  • avoiding nursery grounds or transitioning to low impact fishing with pots.

The acceptance and implementation of these innovative solutions will be better facilitated because fishers will have participated in generating them during the project lifetime, working hand-in-hand with fisheries technologists and scientists.