A set of new onboard tools is making it easier and safer for fishing crews to release accidentally caught sharks and rays – a step forward in protecting vulnerable species while improving crew safety at sea.
The technologies, developed by the marine research center AZTI in partnership with OPAGAC and ANABAC, are part of the Spanish tuna fleet’s commitment to strengthening sustainability practices under its Code of Good Practices, adopted in 2012.
The technologies, known as bycatch release devices (BRDs), include release ramps, stretchers, Velcro leashes, hoppers, lower-deck chutes and sorting grids for mobulid rays. Designed to minimize handling, BRDs boost crew safety and allow for faster releases and significantly increase the chances of survival for bycatch in tropical tuna purse-seine fisheries.