FADs have revolutionized the tuna industry. It is estimated that 40% to 50% of the world’s tropical tuna catch (Skipjack, Yellowfin, and Bigeye tuna) is harvested using FADs.
Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) are actively working to regulate "FAD work" to ensure sustainability. Key initiatives include:
Here are key metrics demonstrating the impact of improved fish gears work: fishgrs work
| Time Period | Bycatch rate (US shrimp trawl) | Key gear change | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Pre-1990 | 5 lbs of bycatch per 1 lb of shrimp | No regulation | | 1990-2005 | 2 lbs per 1 lb shrimp | Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) introduced | | 2005-Present | 0.5 lbs per 1 lb shrimp | TEDs + Bycatch Reduction Devices (BRDs) |
According to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), the careful work of gear modification has reduced bycatch in some US fisheries by over 60% since 1990. However, globally, an estimated 9.1 million tons of fish are still discarded annually—highlighting the immense work still needed. FADs have revolutionized the tuna industry
Marine engineers are constantly testing new materials:
The journal Fisheries Research (often abbreviated Fish. Res.) publishes hundreds of articles on fish gears work every year. If you saw a citation with "Fishgrs" it was likely a corrupted PDF text extraction. Search instead for "Fish. Res. gear selectivity." Marine engineers are constantly testing new materials: The
How they work: A trawl is a large, cone-shaped net towed by one or two boats. The mouth of the net is kept open by otter boards (heavy steel doors) or a beam. As the vessel moves forward, fish are herded into the narrowing net (the "codend").
The "Work" involved: The work here is intense. Fishing crews must set, tow, and retrieve thousands of pounds of net. Scientists work to modify trawls with "escape panels" – large mesh openings that allow juvenile fish to escape. The work of reducing bycatch (unwanted species) is the number one priority in trawl fisheries research.