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NPF bringing Tom’s Fisheye to commercial fishing
Elizabeth Gracie
The Commonwealth Northern Prawn Fishery (NPF) fleet has added a new bycatch reduction device to its fleet in an effort to improve efficiency for the tiger prawn season, which starts in August.
Called ‘Tom’s Fisheye’, the new device met its target of reducing levels of bycatch by 40 percent in trials over the past two years, compared to a Square Mesh panel bycatch reduction device. The new device features average prawn losses ranging from -3.33 percent to + 0.5 percent.
The 2020 season will see the first commercial use of the device by NPF trawl boat operators.
Bycatch reduction devices allow other fish and marine life to escape immediately after being caught in a fishing net and are compulsory for all fishing boats in the NPF.
The ‘Tom’s Fisheye’ will be working alongside a team of three other devices that have already been tested and approved by the NFP to increase the versatility of Northern Prawn fishers to work in a range of different operating and weather conditions.
Tom’s Fisheye functions by “creating an area of low pressure in the trawl net as it is pulled through the water, increasing access to a gap in the net for fish to escape” said CEO of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA), Wez Norris.
The device will also help prawn fishers leave other sea creatures undisturbed such as turtles.
“Turtle exclusion devices have been effective for well over a decade and the next goal, reducing bycatch of smaller fish by at least 30% was ambitious. But clever engineering and sharing ideas has achieved eye-opening results” said the Australian Council of Prawn Fisheries.
“The Northern Prawn Fishery fishers, led by the NPF Industry Pty Ltd, continue to demonstrate a commitment to reducing bycatch through design and trial of new equipment and technology. It is important that fishers can use an effective device that will suit different operating conditions” said Norris.
The NPF industry is continually looking for ways to improve its fishing gear and with the introduction of the Tome’s Fisheye hope to coordinate the fishery’s next bycatch strategy.
“Through this strategy, new technologies and devices may be identified that will allow the industry to continue to achieve world-class operating standards,” said the NPF.
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