Floating buoy cuts seabird bycatch
A two-year trial off Cornwall significantly reduced the risk to razorbills and guillemots.
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A floating buoy with moving eyes reduced the chance of seabirds becoming caught in gillnets by 59 per cent in a British fishing trial. A bird-shaped kite worked even better, with a 71 per cent reduction.
The trial took place off the coast of Cornwall, where ten fishermen took part in research into bycatch. Cameras on the boats recorded how often guillemots and razorbills ended up in or near the nets.
The researchers tested two devices. The Looming Eye Buoy is a buoy with a rotating head and large eye shapes. They also used a commercially available kite shaped like a bird of prey.
According to the study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Conservation Letters, the chance of a bycatch event fell by 59 per cent when the buoy was used and by 71 per cent with the kite. This concerns the risk in this trial, not a directly counted number of birds saved.
The researchers also found that most bycatch in Cornwall occurred in winter. This could help ensure that the devices are used mainly during the riskiest months, so fishermen do not have to work with additional equipment all year round.
The results are encouraging because the measures are installed above the water and do not replace the existing fishing nets. This could make adoption easier for fishermen than a complete switch of fishing gear.
The trial does not yet prove that the method works in the same way everywhere. Conditions, bird species and fishing techniques vary by area. The researchers therefore emphasise that further use and monitoring are needed before it is clear whether the results also apply to other coastal waters.
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The study is peer-reviewed, and the main percentages are confirmed by the university and The Guardian. The text makes clear that the trial results do not automatically apply everywhere.
- confirmed The buoy reduced the risk of bycatch by 59 per cent. — Result from the published study. source
- confirmed The kite reduced the risk by 71 per cent. — Result from the study and university statement. source
- confirmed Ten fishermen from Cornwall took part in the trial. — The University of Exeter lists ten participating fishermen. source
- confirmed The study was published after peer review in Conservation Letters. — The publication page lists the journal and publication date. source
Editor's note
This concerns peer-reviewed research from a single British trial site. The percentages refer to a reduced risk of bycatch, not an exact number of birds saved.Sources
- Above Water Deterrents Reduce Auk Bycatch in Gillnet Fisheries off the United Kingdom — Conservation Letters
- Scientists develop floating scarecrow to protect threatened seabirds — University of Exeter
- Floating scarecrows stop seabirds drowning in nets — The Guardian
More on this in Dutch media
- De Telegraaf — „zeevogels bijvangst”
- Trouw — „zeevogels bijvangst”
- RTL Nieuws — „zeevogels bijvangst”