Gillnet Bycatch Mitigation

Reducing gillnet bycatch is a complicated issue requiring potentially large scale management changes. Fundamentally, there needs to be a better understanding of species behavior and how gear can be reformulated to minimize interactions. Recent innovations have attempted to make nets “visible” to marine mammals utilizing their sonar abilities, including the use of sonar pingers and synthetic nets.  To reduce interactions with whales, the fishing lines attached to buoys can be weakened to break away before entanglement can occur. Scientists also note the need for increased observers and data to get a better understanding of the scale of the problem.

Gillnet Bycatch Mitigation Links:

• World Wildlife Fund – Smart Gear Competition

• Using pingers to reduce cetacean bycatch in gillnets