Testing Innovations in Passive Fisheries- Technical Optimization Pot Fisheries

Project Details

Description

General introduction

As a future professional Belgian pot angler, what lures should you put in the pots to let a certain selective (fish) species swim/creep in, and to obtain more catch? The research project TIP-TOP aims to answer that question with lab and semi-natural experiments. Pot fishing is a very small niche in the Belgian context, but especially in the coastal fishing segment there is interest. Reason is that because this (additional) fishing technique is sustainable and not in direct competition with conventional techniques in terms of fishing grounds or species. A higher catch efficiency and selectivity (no or less unwanted bycatch) can increase the economic value of pot fishing. TIP-TOP builds on the project SYMAPA (diversification opportunities in a fragmented fishing landscape) and falls within the future vision developed in the project BAR Coastal Fleet (coastal fishing in transition).  



Research approach

The first steps consist of further exploring the innovations that have emerged from SYMAPA, complemented by an analysis of the scientific literature. For some species, e.g. shrimps or crabs, lab tests are being set with different innovative lures, precisely to find possible attraction responses that could pay off in a pot fishery. For flatfish such as sole and plaice, we will set up tests in semi-natural conditions, with a specially developed cage that will be installed at the coast of Ostend. We will make comparative point observations on the preferences of the test animals. With cameras we record the behavior of animals near the lures, to better understand the mechanism of attraction. The tests cover different species of interest to Belgian fishers. 



Relevance/Valorisation

The Belgian fishery is suffering from rising fuel prices, lower catches, changing ecosystems and shrinking fishing grounds due to policy changes. This calls for innovation and diversification so that sustainable profitable niches can emerge, especially in the declining coastal fishing fleet. Pot fishing, if efficient and cost-effective, can become one additional technique in the range, already saving fuel and not in direct competition for land or stocks. We hope to see significant improvements in catch efficiency and selectivity (less bycatch) from the experiments, and thus a better economic prognosis for this technique.


AcronymTIPTOP
StatusActive
Effective start/end date1/01/2431/12/25

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