Research Fishing Gear Program

The Research Fishing Gear Program helps to manage and develop scientific fishing gear that is used in vessel surveys. We design and test gear that meets current fishing standards. We also test new technology to help to reduce bycatch and improve the survival rates for species that are accidentally caught and released. Some nets may be outfitted with electronic sensors such as dataloggers to collect depth, temperature and global position information. Additionally, camera or video "sleds" may be used to observe overall trawl performance and evaluate equipment use.