Stephanie Prince

Stephanie Prince

Aug 01, 2017

Group 6 Copy 558
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Our first results are in from Brazil- and they look promising!

Since late May we have been testing Hookpods and ProGlow lights in the Brazilian pelagic longline fleet. The specific objectives of our project included comparing the catch rate of target fish species and seabirds, and monitoring the durability of Hookpods and the ProGlow LED lights, as an alternative to disposable chemical lights sticks.

Our two instructors pictured with the captain of the study vessel (photo Augusto Costa)  

Our Albatross Task Force instructors have so far conducted three back-to-back trips on the study vessel, and have witnessed over 15,000 hooks being set and hauled. On each trip the instructor is out on deck, no matter the weather, to watch the fishers setting the line. Each hook is baited and is then inserted into a Hookpod, before being deployed overboard. Half of the hooks also have an LED light attached to the line, which is designed to attract fish. This is the first time they have been tested in a commercial fishery. 

Fisher deploying a baited Hookpod at night (photo Augusto Costa)

Our initial findings are due to be presented to the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) Seabird Bycatch Working Group in September. This group encompasses the World's experts in seabird bycatch and is an important step in getting our results recognised, and recommendations made for Best Practice techniques for reducing seabird bycatch. 

Our initial results indicate that using ProwGlow lights increases the number of fish caught- which is a bonus for fishers, whilst also drastically reducing plastic waste. The seabird bycatch rate has been very low- with only one bird killed so far on 15,000 hooks; this is a reduction of almost 90% compared to what we would expect in this fishery for this time of year.

The Hookpods have been have been performing well with less than 1% being damaged, which is an acceptable rate of damage for the fishery.

Most importantly the crew and captain of the vessel have shown a high level of acceptance of both Hookpods and ProGlows.   On seeing the equipment the first impressions of the crew were not positive. They are experienced working in a set way and the changes to fit Hookpods and lights on the line did not interest them. They also had concerns that Hookpods may not open to release the hook, and that the new equipment could increase entanglements of the line.

Despite these concerns, after the first day fishing the crew noted that the new equipment stowed perfectly in the bins they use to hold the hooks, and the Hookpod fitted easily into line setting and hauling operations. The Hookpod therefore was readily accepted by the crew and skipper, and did not interfere with or delay the fishing operations.

The Hookpods and ProGlow lights stored neatly in a hook bin (photo Augusto Costa)

We still need to complete more trips over the next few months to build up a larger sample size, to be able to conclusively report on the effectiveness of Hookpods and ProGlows. However our initial results have left us feeling cautiously optimistic, as the words of Augusto Costa, Albatross Task Force Instructor demonstrate:  "The Hookpods are performing very well, the crew are handling the new equipment with ease, and the captain has expressed his approval of both the Hookpods and ProGlow lights." Once again we'd like to reiterate that this work has only been possible due to the generous donations we received from our project backers. Your support is actually saving the lives of seabirds (including albatross) right now off the coast of Brazil- thank you!


A black-browed albatross soaring behind the study vessel-one of the species we are trying to protect from longline hooks (Photo Augusto Costa)

3 comments

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  • Mike Dziubinski
    Mike DziubinskiBacker
    Looks like you have a winner here ATF, as Denny suggests, (and you've probably looked into), the industry might like to see this technology applied in other areas of fishing. Keep it up.
    Aug 02, 2017
  • Stephanie Prince
    Stephanie PrinceResearcher
    Thanks Mike!
    Aug 03, 2017
  • Denny Luan
    Denny Luan
    Super interesting that there is some behavior change among the fishermen that's needed - in your view what's required for taking these results and really getting this kind of solution out there in practice? Getting in front of more fishermen? Academic conference talks seem like a good way to get this into literature (and huge congratulations btw!), but are there conferences for fishing industries, local or regional, and how do you get something like this on the radar of the industry?
    Aug 01, 2017
  • Stephanie Prince
    Stephanie PrinceResearcher
    Hi Denny, The first thing to do is get proof through experimentation that the technique works, and then to get it recognised as a Best Practice technique (which is what ACAP do). With all of our work the bulk is getting measures accepted into the fishery. In this case we are working with one of the most experienced captains who has the respect of the other fishermen. If he likes them then the other vessels will know about it. We have also given a smaller number of Hookpods to two other vessels, so they can also try them out. We hope this will begin to spread the word about the Hookpod and ProGlows to other vessels, and our teams do a lot of work in ports to visit fishers to show them these techniques. Having buy in from the fishing industry is essential is getting new measures adopted by the fleet.
    Aug 03, 2017
  • Denny Luan
    Denny Luan
    Good luck with that! It would be cool to see data around adoption, or being able to measure it some way, e.g. N hookpods in use = Y birds saved
    Aug 03, 2017
  • Gill Fruin
    Gill FruinBacker
    Promising results, keep up the good work ATF and a big Thank You from us !
    Aug 01, 2017
  • Stephanie Prince
    Stephanie PrinceResearcher
    Thanks Gill!
    Aug 03, 2017

About This Project

Endangered albatrosses and other seabirds are accidentally killed in longline fisheries around the world. In the Brazilian fleet we want to test Hookpods, a new technology, designed to safely deploy hooks, so they cannot be ingested by birds. We also want to test new reusable LED lights, to replace single use light sticks that are currently disposed of in the oceans in vast numbers every day contributing to marine pollution.

Blast off!

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