Fishermen and research scientists are working collaboratively to save whales and fisheries alike, studying solutions that include novel designs for ropes that are strong enough for fishing but weak enough for right whales to release themselves.
Consortium Scientists attended the FAO Workshop on Means and Methods for Reducing Marine Mammal Mortality in Fishing and Aquaculture Operations
The objectives of the workshop are to (1) discuss the need for and approaches to implementing rope-less fishing to reduce entanglements of large whales in trap/pot fisheries, (2) discuss and develop regulatory pathways to make rope-less fishing legal in the United States and Canada, and (3) discuss strategies to fund two phases of development: demonstration/evaluation and experimental fisheries. The workshop format will consist of presentations followed by facilitated discussion on the urgent need for rope-less fishing techniques, the current state of development of rope-less fishing, technical development plans, regulatory challenges and solutions, and the funding landscape.
World’s leading scientists on whale entanglement prevention talk progress, problems in solving challenge of fishing hazards at international workshop, May 22-26, Portsmouth, NH
The Bycatch Consortium will be presenting a paper on new rope-less fishing research.
A 2013 workshop to discuss methods to reduce marine mammal bycatch in longline fisheries