2023 Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program Funded Projects

Northeast/Mid-Atlantic

George Mason University

Estimating recreational catch and release mortality of striped bass.

$201,988

The objective of this project is to provide estimates of striped bass catch and release mortality. The researchers will develop a quick attachment, delayed-release acoustic tag and use this method in situ to estimate Chesapeake Bay striped bass mortality. Using this data, they will also estimate the relationship of striped bass mortality to water temperature.

Whale and Dolphin Conservation, Inc.

Reducing bycatch and gear conflicts in U.S. fisheries.

$187,042

Whale and Dolphin Conservation’s goal for this project is to enhance the Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s Gear Lending Library. The library would include emerging manufacturers and improved prototypes, trial gear marking systems, and address gear conflicts between fixed gear fisheries and mobile fisheries. It would educate the public about on-demand gear through demonstrations at key public venues along the U.S. East Coast.

Gulf of Maine Research Institute

Encouraging the voluntary adoption of the Ultra-Low Opening Trawl (ULOT) to fully utilize groundfish quota in the Northeast groundfish fishery.

$199,668

The goal of this project is to encourage the use of a proven net design that reduces Atlantic cod bycatch by 46%. This will be a multi-phase process involving further at-sea trials of the ULOT, associated data collection, and sharing of the ULOT performance information across the entire fishery. The project encourages five fishers to try the ULOT net in a low to no-risk environment. The fisheries will be paid to try the net, to collect data, and finally will be able to continue using the net provided they continue to collect data and/or assist in outreach.

Blue Planet Strategies LLC

Developing and comparing ropeless gillnet and lobster fixed gear systems with marking technology to reduce entanglement of critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whales and other marine life.

$171,003

The objective of this project is to develop the first “stowed rope” ropeless (or “on-demand”) gillnet system with EdgeTech, Inc. gear, and complete the first fully on-demand (i.e., no endlines) gillnet gear trials. Researchers will conduct approximately 100 comparative at-sea trials of stowed rope and lift bag gillnet systems. The project also hopes to advance subsea marking technology required to locate gillnet and lobster gear and avoid gear conflicts.

Sea Mammal Education Learning Technology Society (SMELTS)

Working with fishers and industry partners to catalog, mark, locate, and retrieve on-demand acoustic ropeless lift-bag technology.

$248,087

This project will build off of previously BREP-funded research by building six new Lobster Rafts to donate to the Northeast Fishery Science Center’s Gear Lending Library. The research group will also install a Teledyne Directional Acoustic Transponder (DAT) to advance subsea marking of ropeless (i.e., on-demand) gear into a cloud database. This project will also integrate newly developed scanning system Radio Frequency Identification tags (RFID) for automatic marking and cataloging of ropeless lift-bag gear. The researchers, with partners, will perform trials of marking gear and recovering gear using hull-mounted transducers and populating ropeless gear position at surface and seafloor on and into multifunction displays. This will allow for fishers to find, view, and recover the ropeless lift-bag gear. Additionally, they will conduct outreach to fisheries enforcement groups on how to view and interact with ropeless gear.

West Coast

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission

Further testing of modified hooks to reduce bycatch of yelloweye rockfish and Pacific spiny dogfish in the Pacific halibut longline fishery.

$179,873

The goal of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of hook size and appendage angle and position to reduce yelloweye rockfish and Pacific spiny dogfish bycatch in a Pacific halibut longline fishery.

Pfleger Institute of Environmental Research

Development and testing of bycatch reduction strategies in the Mexican longline fishery.

$228,876

The study will characterize the Mexican shallow-set fishery, identify feasible shark mitigation tools, and test U.S.-developed shark avoidance and deterrent technology. Mitigation testing efforts will include Microprocessor-based Bycatch Reduction Device technology and illuminated artificial baits—two tools that were recently developed with federal funding to address shark issues in domestic longline fishing operations. In addition to advancing and testing shark avoidance strategies, the study will also promote conservation and disseminate U.S. technology abroad. Results of this study may also inform future bycatch mitigation methods in U.S. fisheries.

Wild Fish Conservancy

Implementation of pound nets for selective harvesting of hatchery salmon and reduction of bycatch mortality in the Columbia River Emerging Commercial Fishery.

$199,500

The objective of this project is to advance required testing and development of pound net technology for efficiently catching hatchery salmon in the lower Columbia River Emerging Commercial Fishery. Two new commercial and tribal pound nets will be developed, implemented, and tested in 2023-2024. The researchers will also provide technical assistance in siting, permitting, engineering, and implementation to ensure successful gear deployment and commercial testing in the fishery. This will allow for required state agency monitoring and evaluation through the Emerging Commercial Fishery process to inform a permanent regulatory decision to authorize the gear for broader adoption at the fleet scale.

Pacific Islands

Eric Gilman LLC

Effects of alternative pelagic longline branchline weighting designs on seabird catch risk: a global meta-synthesis.

$78,700

The study will identify predictors of seabird catch risk in alternative pelagic longline branchline weighting designs. A systematic review will be conducted to compile relevant publications and assemble a dataset suitable for the evaluation. Findings will support evidence-informed management of seabird bycatch in pelagic longline fisheries.

The Carl Safina Center, Inc.

Do passive acoustic decoys reduce toothed whale depredation in the Hawaii deep-set tuna pelagic longline fishery?

$79,599

This study will conduct a controlled experimental assessment of passive acoustic decoy spheres in the Hawaii deep-set longline fishery. Study findings may identify the first effective and commercially viable approach to mitigate toothed whale bycatch and depredation in longline fisheries.

The University of California, San Diego

Foraging of false killer whales in relation to oceanography and prey: informing bycatch mitigation for the main Hawaiian Island near-shore fisheries.

$139,659

This study will work with data collected from a 2020 BREP-funded project in an area known to be a high-use area of a false killer whale cluster. It will increase our understanding of their foraging behavior in relation to prey and fishing activity. The goal of this study is to help inform strategies to reduce depredation and bycatch.

Alaska

University of Washington

Reducing Pacific halibut bycatch in the Pacific cod bottom trawl fishery.

$221,309

This project will develop a bycatch reduction device performance indicator to evaluate and compare devices used in the Bering Sea Pacific cod bottom trawl fishery. Researchers will evaluate the effect of artificial light placed at the trawl mouth on Pacific halibut and Pacific cod catch through field trials and compare current and previous bycatch reduction devices to the use of artificial light. Results of this research will be used to make recommendations to fisheries researchers, managers, and the fishing industry.

International Pacific Halibut Commission

Full-scale testing of devices to minimize whale depredation in longline fisheries.

$199,870

This project proposes a catch comparison trial using traditional longline gear with and without catch protection devices developed by a previously BREP-funded project in the presence of depredators. Devices include an underwater shuttle designed to remove catch from the hooks near the bottom and securely transport the catch to the surface inside the device. Another is an underwater shroud designed to slide over a cluster of captured fish, and to cover/hide them as they are brought to the surface. The project would expand testing of developed catch protection gear to a full catch comparison trial in the presence of potential depredators. Researchers will fully assess the relative performance and safety profile of the experimental gear compared to standard longline fishing gear.

Southeast/Gulf of Mexico

Louisiana State University

Characterizing and reducing post-release mortality of blue marlin in pelagic longline fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico.

$180,540

The goals of this project include estimating post-release mortality for blue marlin captured in pelagic longline fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico. Additionally, the project will identify the influence of environmental (e.g., temperature) and capture-related (time on hook, depth, handling time, etc.) variables contributing to post-release mortality of blue marlin. Finally, the project will characterize bycatch of blue marlin on pelagic longlines deployed at normal vs. deepset depths to evaluate the effectiveness of deeper set depth at targeting yellowfin tuna while reducing bycatch of blue marlin.