After seven years of research and development, and plenty of enginnering challenges, Fishtek Marine has passed the milestone of unveiling its SharkGuard system to minimise shark bycatch in tuna longline fisheries – a problem that has seen a 70% decline in oceanic shark populations in just 50 years.
Early trials in France, using a battery powered MKIV SharkGuard showed that when exposing sharks to an electric field, shark bycatch was reduced by a massive 91% – although subsequent trials in New Caledonia indicated that if SharkGuard was positioned too close to the hook, tuna could be visually deterred.
‘These findings, together with design input from vessel owners, fishermen, their representatives, academics and marine managers have allowed our engineering team to develop a truly groundbreaking piece of technology in the form of the MKV induction charged hook setting bin,’ a Fishtek Marine representative explained.
This is a fit-and-forget system for pelagic longlining that has been designed to cloak the device from tuna vision, attach retrospectively to existing fishing gear and deliver a powerful, shark deterring electric field charged by the vessels electrics.
‘None of this progress would have been possible without the vision and continued support of our funders who can see a future in fisheries that is beyond business as usual,’ Fishtek Marine states.
These include Schmidt Marine Technology Partners, Innovate UK, France Filière Pêche, The Fishmongers’ Company and an anonymous US philanthropic funder.
