Research has found that modifying different aspects of prawn trawl gear can reduce fuel consumption and bycatch: A win-win outcome. This is an important example of sustainable development, because it demonstrates a potential to increase fisher income and reduce environmental impacts simultaneously, and it stimulates consideration of the potential of these modifications in other prawn fisheries.
The results can be summarised as follows:
- Effective Spreading Mechanisms: Using a beam for single trawls is the most effective method for reducing bycatch, drag, and bottom contact. For otter trawls, performance improves with more nets and fewer otter boards, particularly using batwing otter boards which reduce drag and bottom contact significantly.
- Ground Gear Modifications: Modifying ground gear, such as using a ‘soft brush’ configuration, significantly reduces bottom contact by up to 63% while maintaining target prawn catches.
- Trawl Body Adjustments: Optimizing the trawl body by minimizing twine area and adjusting mesh size and orientation can reduce bycatch and drag without affecting commercial prawn catches, achieving reductions up to 95% in bycatch.
The figure below indicates potential cumulative reductions in trawl system drag, fuel savings, and bycatch as a result of trawl modification. Previously collected information for BRDs in codends is provided as a reference (percentage bycatch reductions are assumed absolutes estimates).
Additional useful content covering a range of Low Impact Fuel Efficiency research can be found at: 2016-057: Workshop to identify research needs and a future project to reduce bycatch and improve fuel efficiency via Low Impact Fuel Efficient (LIFE) prawn trawls and Useful Links.
What are you doing to reduce fuel consumption and or bycatch in your business?
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