According to researchers this new fish pot that may become of great use to fishermen in Mauritius. They said that the pot is environmentally friendly and easy-to-use, and is well suited to the highly productive temperate waters around the island nation, as well as to tropical seas in general. Fish stocks closest to land have been depleted, and the people of Mauritius are looking for new resources and new fishing techniques.
The Centre for Development Cooperation in Fisheries (CDCF) at The Institute of Marine Research has embarked on a three-year project aimed at the fishing industry in Mauritius. Amongst other things, the project is mapping the available fish resources, and developing environmentally friendly, efficient and affordable fishing techniques.
Jens-Otto Krakstad of the CDCF, who is project manager for this Norwegian-Mauritian collaboration, said that in Mauritius longline and handline fishing are the most common fishing techniques. He added that the fisheries are on the large ocean banks one or two days’ journey from land.
Krakstad explains why the pot fishery is so suited to the temperate, Mauritian waters. He said that the quality of the fish caught in pots is high; the fish are alive, thus, fetching good price. The pots can be used at all depths, and can be left out for a relatively long time without any problems with bycatch or harm being done to the target species.
