One of the experts who has clearly noticed increased interest for the environment within the fishing industry, is Ulrik Jes Hansen, biologist and senior researcher at SINTEF Fisheries and Aquaculture, an institution with one of the world’s largest tanks for testing fishing gear and in constant contact with the much-maligned trawler fishermen, with regard to developing the fishing industry.
According to Hansen, what is concerning Danish fishermen is not only ways of saving energy and protecting the seabed, there is also the problem that up to half the catch has to be simply thrown back into the sea again. This is either because the catch does not comply with the regulations on fish size, or because the net has been filled with other fish species than those a quota permits.
“Very few of the many fish caught and brought up and thrown back will survive, which is deeply tragic,” says Hansen, who has experienced growing requests from the industry for fishing gear which is able to sort the catch before it is brought on board.
Strong Danish environmental know-how
One of the Danish companies which has developed new and more environment-friendly gear is Thyborøn Trawldoor, which has designed a special type of door for trawl nets, which not only protects the seabed, but is also energy-saving.
“We believe there is a bright future for this product,” states Ole Kjærgaard, Export Manager at Thyborøn Trawldoor. “I believe that when we take a close look at the entire environment debate, there is vast potential for development.”
“We have already generated a lot of interest at the exhibitions we have attended,” claims Kjærgaard, who also predicts high levels of demand in the near future.
But Thyborøn Trawldoor is only one of a range of Danish companies working to make the fishing industry more environment-friendly in different ways. Some of them are working on energy-saving gear, others are trying to make trawl nets more species-specific to avoid unnecessary catches, whilst yet others are working on making marine engines more fuel-efficient.
Conference brings together know-how and practice
The Danish Export Association has assembled a strong team of experts and practitioners for the Blue Ocean – Green Fishing conference, including Kieran Kelleher, Fisheries Team Leader from the World Bank, who published a major survey of fisheries in 2008, called “the Sunken Billions”.
The head of the World Wildlife Fund’s European Marine Program, Aaron McLoughlin, will talk on the subject of increased consumer interest in fish which can be environmentally certified.
And from Denmark, Senior Researcher Ulrik Jes Hansen will go into detail on how fishermen can save energy. He has just returned from a year in New Zealand, where he was seconded to the New Zealand fishing fleet to advise on energy savings. He also has over 25 years of experience of the world’s leading test tank within the field of fishing gear.
A range of Danish and international fishing industry companies and fishermen will also share their expertise within environment-friendly fisheries.
Green fisheries can pay
One of the themes of the conference is that investment in environment protection can pay. Director of the Danish Export Association, Ulrik Dahl, will be present to promote this message to the Danish and foreign fishermen attending.
“You can make money on the environment,” he maintains, “You can get a better price for your fish if they are caught using environment-friendly methods and you can save money on fuel – not to mention reducing CO2 emissions. All-in-all, there are no excuses for not thinking about the environment.”
Hope is green
“We sincerely hope we can open the eyes of the foreign fishing industries,” says Dahl, “Danish companies have a lot to offer the world industry – especially in terms of the environment – and we naturally hope that is something we can help highlight.”
