Friday, 3 November 2023

Sustainable fishing: The tech making it cheaper and greener


 It's 05:00 on a Monday morning in Largs Boat Harbour on the west coast of Scotland. The sun is yet to rise and the rain is getting heavier.

But Ian Whiteman is already out on the water, because over the next 12 hours, every minute counts.

He is going out for his daily catch of langoustines - something he has been doing for almost 40 years.

A faulty net, unwanted sea life in the catch, or a change in water conditions could delay deliveries to customers, and that could mean lost income for Mr Whiteman.

As the sun rises, he steers his boat through the waters of the River Clyde.

The next step for him is to position his boat and prepare the net. But before the net goes overboard, Ian attaches lights, cameras an
d sensors to it.

He is trialling devices from SafetyNet Technologies, designed to help fishermen understand what's happening underwater and reduce what's known as bycatch.

According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), bycatch is when fish and other animals such as dolphins and sea turtles become entangled in fishing gear.

Often bycatch is thrown back into the sea, but the creatures are usually dead or dying.

"It can significantly reduce ocean health and resilience, and this reduces the ability of ecosystems to respond to adverse conditions," says Alison Cross, director of fishery sustainability at the WWF.

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