Moon Pool
WHAT IS A MOON POOL?
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. Use of a moon pool is expected to enhance the hauling efficiency of longline vessels, reducing the possibility for seabirds to dive for baited hooks and become injured.
CURRENT RESEARCH & USE
No trials have been conducted to measure the efficacy of moon pools in reducing the bycatch of seabirds. Due to the structural nature of moon pools, they are difficult for fishermen to implement retrospectively, and must be factored in to the design of a vessel.
The fact that their design completely encloses the hauling operation below deck, however, suggests that their use would eliminate bycatch incidents during hauling.
This page was last updated on 12.02.21.
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