Simple Tech Is Making Fishing Safer for Endangered Marine Life

Commercial fishing unintentionally kills hundreds of thousands of whales, dolphins, turtles, and seabirds annually. This incidental catch, known as bycatch, is a persistent global issue. However, a recent analysis in the journal *Science* points to a suite of practical, often low-cost technologies that are showing real promise in keeping non-target species out of nets.

The solutions are surprisingly straightforward. Attaching green LED lights to gillnets, for example, can cut sea turtle entanglements by up to 70%. The lights, which cost only a few dollars, alert turtles to the net's presence without deterring target fish. For sharks, which are sensitive to electrical fields, researchers are using special metals on hooks that create a mild current, repelling them and reducing catches by nearly half.

Modifications to fishing gear itself are also effective. Switching to 'circle' hooks or using hooks designed to straighten under high force allows larger animals like turtles to break free. To protect seabirds, simple streamer lines that create a visual barrier during bait setting have reduced bird deaths by over 90% in some fisheries.

The barrier now is not invention, but adoption. Fishers work with narrow profit margins, and new gear must be both affordable and practical. Here, smarter monitoring tools could help. AI-driven camera systems are beginning to provide accurate, real-time data on what's being caught, enabling better management and verifying compliance without needing a human observer on every boat.

While international regulations remain uneven, the evidence is clear: collaboration with fishing communities on these targeted tools can significantly lower bycatch. The technology exists. The challenge is getting it widely into use, turning pilot successes into standard practice across the world's fleets.

Source: Webpronews