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Benefits to Fishermen and Oceans

The Underwater Baited Hook - Benefits to Fishermen and Oceans

The Underwater Baited Hook is a stern-mounted, hydraulically driven device delivers baited hooks underwater, below vessel propeller turbulence, in a method much different from setting baits on the water’s surface.

Benefits of this device:
  • Potential elimination of the bycatch of seabirds that attempt to eat fish bait set at the water’s surface.
  • Elimination of loss of bait to seabirds (because underwater baited hooks reach the necessary depths).
  • Reductions in crew labor and vessel fuel consumption.
  • Connection of the underwater baited hook machine to vessel monitoring systems allows authorities to track compliance without using onboard observers.

The CP2 Batwing Otter Board - Benefits to Fishermen and Oceans

The CP2 Batwing otter board, a device that reduces trawling’s impact on the seabed.

Benefits of this device:
  • Reduces the otter board’s disturbance of the seafloor by at least 90 percent.
  • Reduces the otter board’s tow resistance (drag) by 70 percent.
  • Reduces the impact of the trawl gear on the benthic habitat.
  • Reduces the bycatch of benthic organisms in the cod end of the trawl, which cuts down on trawl gear wear, on damage to the target catch, and on the processing effort on the vessel.
  • Reduces trawler fuel consumption by about 20 percent.
  • Reduces the energy intensity of prawn trawling and the carbon footprint of associated seafood products.

HOVERCRAN - Benefits to Fishermen and Oceans

The HOVERCRAN is a fishing device that improves commercial catch quality and lessens seabed damage in the brown shrimp fishery.

Benefits of this device:
  • Catches at least as much shrimp as traditional gear does.
  • Improves species selectivity of brown shrimp fishery.
  • Reduces bycatch discards by 35 percent in volume.
  • Reduces seabed contact by 75 percent.
  • Improves commercial catch quality.
  • Delivers relatively constant catch efficiency under varying fishing conditions.
  • Creates prospect of obtaining a sustainability label.
  • Offers basic features of simplicity, robustness, durability and cheap design.

Building a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.

Photos and graphics © WWF or used with permission. Text available under a Creative Commons licence.