Simple innovation is the key to precision fishing 

Fish quotas and regulations on bycatch give fishers many good reasons for wanting to know more about the fish they are catching in the trawl. By moving from a blind operation to precision fishing, they can improve their ability to catch only the desired species and size and reduce their environmental impact as well as CO2 emissions. 

Research at the Technical University of Denmark’s AQUA department (DTU Aqua) has developed new technology to help them on the way.

The first revolutionary step was the development of the first ever sediment dampening system, consisting of a sheet of tarpaulin mounted at the front of the trawl. This simple and effective system reduces the sediment swirled up by the trawl’s movement to allow a clear camera view for monitoring, measuring and recording the catch. 

Attracting great international interest, the sediment dampener has initiated further development of catch monitoring systems. In cooperation with the Danish company Atlas Maridan, DTU Aqua has designed a cable-based trawl camera system which shows the catch in real time.  

Now, for the first time, it has become possible to follow the species entering the fishing gear and keep track of where they were caught. 

Based on this innovation, fishing with trawl no longer has to be a blind process. Fishers are kept informed about the commercial viability and sustainability of the fish in each fishing ground