Gillnets

Description

Iluminar el Mar uses small, affordable green LED lights attached to fishing nets to reduce the accidental capture of threatened and endangered species such as sea turtles, sharks, rays, dolphins, and whales. This issue, known as fisheries bycatch, is one of the leading threats to marine biodiversity. The lights work by making nets more visible to these species, which have different sensory abilities compared to target bony fish, allowing fishers to maintain their catch without harming vulnerable marine life.

Trials from Phase I in coastal Ecuador showed impressive results, reducing bycatch by 58 percent for sea turtles, 45 percent for sharks, 50 percent for rays, and 73 percent for dolphins and whales. Protecting these keystone species helps maintain healthy oceans—turtles regulate jellyfish populations, while sharks keep the food chain in balance, supporting fish stocks and the livelihoods of coastal communities.

The approach goes beyond technology, working closely with local fishers through workshops and collaboration, building shared knowledge about the importance of these species and co-designing solutions that fit local realities. Also creating market incentives for fish caught using this method, helping fishers earn more while protecting marine ecosystems.

In Phase II, the Project will publish Phase I results, fine-tune the light configurations with fisher feedback, develop a national implementation plan, and roll out the technology on 100 artisanal gillnet vessels across three ports. This will prevent the accidental capture of an estimated 973 sea turtles, 420 mobula rays, 450 dolphins and whales, and 3,613 sharks in just one fishing season. Over five years, the impact grew to 4,866 turtles, 2,100 rays, 2,248 dolphins and whales, and 18,063 sharks.

By reducing bycatch, Iluminar el Mar directly addresses a critical conservation challenge with a simple yet effective solution. The project combines tested innovation with deep local engagement and has the potential to be replicated in small-scale fisheries around the world. It offers a powerful path forward for healthier oceans and stronger coastal communities.

Description

In California, Experimental Fishing Permits (EFP’s) have been granted to several fishing for swordfish and bluefin tuna using sustainable deep-set buoy gear (DSBG). Since 2023, DSBG has been a low-bycatch alternative to traditional swordfish gear, such as pelagic longlines and drifting gillnets, which can negatively impact sea turtles, sharks and seabirds. DSBG reduces bycatch by setting beneath the thermocline, where non-targeted species are uncommon. However, it can be challenging for fishers to relocate their DSBG, and losing gear is a concern with inclement weather. Lost gear can become ghost gear, which could indiscriminately fish both target and non-target species. Blue Ocean Gear provides Smart Buoy technology for tracking and monitoring deployed gear.  In 2023, with funding from Santa Monica Seafood and support from SFP, 2 DSBG vessels were provided with Smart Buoys to track their gear.  All DSBG were successfully relocated, and Smart Buoys enabled more effective day-to-day operations for the fishers.

Based on this success, this project will be expanded to include outfitting two additional DSBG vessels with Smart Buoy technology.  The expansion will also include training for fishers and a satellite data plan for an additional vessel already equipped with Smart Buoys. The initial training and ongoing support will be conducted by Blue Ocean Gear, both in-person and virtually, as successfully done during the past project. The additional hardware will include 10 Smart Buoys and 1 Wireless Charger per vessel. The software plan includes the Iridium subscription per buoy, as well as access to buoy data via the mobile app, web app, and TimeZero plotter.

Click "I'm Interested" to contact the Bycatch Solutions Hub for more details.