Scientists are testing nets illuminated with LED lights to see if increasing net visibility reduces sea turtle bycatch in gillnet fisheries.
Gillnet fisheries operate by suspending a wall of netting in the water column. When fish and other marine animals encounter these nets, they often become entangled.
Gillnets are one of the most common types of fishing gear and are used extensively in most places where people fish for food, either commercially or for local consumption.
Unfortunately gillnets are not selective in the species that they catch. Sea turtles are one of the most common bycatch species that become entangled in these nets. Marine mammals, seabirds, and sharks are also frequently caught in gillnets across the globe.
Enter the illuminated gillnet. Studies comparing “control” or traditional nets with illuminated nets show that nets made more visible with simple LED lights can reduce bycatch of sea turtles without reducing target catch.
Continue reading at NOAA Fisheries.
Image via NOAA Fisheries.