With a lot of focus in recent weeks on energy and how it's produced and used, there are also other ways in which we can limit our impact on the eco-system. The fishing industry in particular has received some scrutiny by a Netflix documentary Seaspiracy. While there is some doubt about the accuracy of reporting, interviews being taken out of context, the overarching premise is indisputable - overfishing, bycatch, ocean waste and the destruction of the marine eco-system are problems that exist and need to be addressed.
Shrimp Trawler Trash
Before you put down that filet-o-fish, is the solution really for the end of eating fish or anything harvested from the Ocean and for everyone to turn Vegan? Much like any major issue or ideology, it's often best to draw an analogy with a salt curve to determine what could be the most appropriate solution. Too much or too little tends to leave an unsatisfactory outcome for too many people, so mostly, somewhere in between lies the answer. On some occasions, innovative answers exist that provide better outcomes all around.
UK based SafetyNet Technologies builds Precision Fishing technologies to reduce bycatch, increase traceability, and make ocean data available to all.
SafetyNet Technologies PISCES bycatch reduction shield
"Overfishing is one of the primary drivers causing a decline in ocean wildlife populations. It is closely tied to bycatch. Catching non-target endangered, juvenile, or unmarketable species during fishing negatively impacts biodiversity and leads to unsustainable fisheries. It is estimated that 1 in every 10 fish caught is bycatch"
In numbers, that is approximately 16 million tonnes of bycatch discarded every year, half a million dollars worth lost per vessel per year. This is a problem that SafetyNet has set out to solve with its Pisces Shield project.
Pisces Shield in action
Essentially scientific research is conducted in a lab setting that works out the wavelengths of light that certain species of fish (including turtles) are responsive to and those that they are repelled from. Armed with this knowledge, the Pisces shield can be deployed in regions that focus on attracting a particular range of catch and setup to repel all other species. The product is secured to a variety of different gear types, trawls and pots, designed to withstand huge ocean pressures and once charge runs for 60 hours underwater.
PISCES is designed to work with many types of gears, including gill and drift nets, pots and traps, as well as trawls
The Pisces project certainly lives up to our mantra at Threegon on building products that improve quality of life. It is also the type of project that we are actively searching more for, and more than happy to assist in anyway. If you know of a project that needs that extra bit of help to get off the ground to be commercialised, helps to improve lives and the environment, go ahead and contact me.
(pre-pandemic when visits were still possible)
We have thoroughly enjoyed working with Aran and his dedicated team at SafetyNet. We look forward to support the launch Pisces globally.