Gear modification
Line weighting is the process whereby weights are added to branch lines in pelagic and demersal longline fisheries, in order to quickly sink hooks to target fishing depths and beyond the diving range of seabirds.
Gear device
A moon pool is an in-built well that sits in the hull of a ship, allowing longlines to be hauled below deck – out of sight of foraging seabirds.
The net sleeve is a buoyant “umbrella” which sits on a vertical hook line above the baited hooks. The sleeve is able to slide up and down this line, but due to its positive buoyancy, remains at the top of the vertical line whilst the hooks sit on the seabed.
Noxious bait is treated to make it unpalatable to non-target species. Dripping olfactory deterrents (such as shark liver oil) behind fishing vessels has been suggested and trialled to reduce the incidence of bycatch.
The leader is a length of filament that connects the main line and the lure to provide extra protection for gear when fishing. Nylon (monofilament) leaders are easier for hooked sharks to bite through, compared to wire leaders.
Safe Leads are sliding weights that are used to increase the sink rate of baited hooks on branchlines in longline fisheries. By adding weight, baited hooks are placed out of the range of diving seabirds more quickly.
Technique change
Side-setting is the process of deploying baited hooks from the side of the vessel, rather than the traditional process of deploying hooks to the stern of the vessel.
Sliding leads, also known as sliding weights, are used to increase the sink rate of branchlines in pelagic longline fisheries, placing baited hooks out of the range of diving seabirds more quickly.
Smart Tuna Hooks encapsulate the baited hook in a metal shield. The metal shield, manually clipped to the baited hook, is held in place by a biodegradable pin which corrodes on contact with seawater.
Explore the Bycatch Mitigation Hub to find possible measures to reduce bycatch
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