A Christmas delivery of seabird saving devices
Since we successfully got our funding back in August, thanks to our amazing backers, hookpod have been busy manufacturing 3000 units ready to ship to Brazil for use in our trials. These are now complete, along with the reusable LED lights called ProwGlow. The lights are a brand new design, and over the last few months trials have been conducted to ensure that they will work at the depths required. They have been approved down to 1000 metres which will be plenty of depth for the Brazilian fishery.
It all looks good, and tests have shown that they should last for 5000 hours (around 3 years fishing for the average boat), before the two AAA batteries need changing. ProwGlow is activated by being in contact with water, and turns off when it is out of the water, giving them great battery life.
The use of these lights rather than disposable chemical light sticks will stop huge amounts of plastic from entering the ocean, as traditionally chemical light sticks are sadly discarded overboard after one use. The other great thing is that these lights will actually save fishermen money. I've put an example Fishtek Marine (the company manufacturing the lights) have provided about costing below.
For one vessel that uses chemical light sticks on every hook, and sets 800 hooks 200 times a year 160,000 light sticks a year will be used.
At $0.25 a light stick this would cost $40,000 a year.
Assuming a hook loss rate of 1.5%, by switching to ProwGlow, annual lighting costs will be reduced from $40,000 to $12,800. A cost saving of $27,200 for just one vessel.
It's a win-win situation, less plastic in the ocean and a cost saving for fishermen. All we have left to do is get them to the fishermen to try out.
The shipment should be on it's way from the UK to Brazil before Christmas arriving in time for trials to begin in February.
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