Award winning start-up, SafetyNet Technologies is attracting interest with its ground-breaking user-friendly technology which uses lights to attract and repel fish. This patented piece of technology the team call PISCES will take fishing to new dimensions and has huge potential to make the fishing industry more sustainable.
SafetyNet’s trials with Young’s Seafood and CEFAS have shown that their devices can reduce by-catch by up to 60%. This is reinforced by experiments in other fisheries around the world, some of which have used light to reduce by-catch by up to 90%.
SafetyNet have completed their proof of concept and are now ready to expand into batch production. This will enable them, with their scientific and industry partners, to explore new trials with other fish species in fisheries around the globe. They have created a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo in order to bring PISCES to life and into the hands of fishermen.
‘I’ve been working on SafetyNet for eight years and we’ve made some really exciting progress and learned a lot during that time,’ said Daniel Watson, CEO of SafetyNet.
‘We’ve worked hard because we see a real need for this technology, but we couldn’t have done it without our supporters. We’re now asking for one final push to help us bridge the gap between proof of concept and a device that can be used by many more people to accelerate the science and begin having a widespread positive impact.’
David Parker, himself a marine biologist and head of Young’s Seafood’s corporate social responsibility programme, said that the work done by SafetyNet has been highly encouraging.
‘We now hope that the industry, government and other organisations will come together to support further trials. Having been out on the trawler during the research and having seen the technology in action, I believe this innovation could have a positive impact on the industry and the future of fishing,’ he said.
