On average, every kilogram of prawns caught is associated with 15 kilograms of valueless non-prawn species (bycatch). This is an environmental sustainability and economic efficiency issue, prioritised by prawn fishery industry and management agencies worldwide. Various fisheries authorities have mandated the use of Bycatch Reduction Devices (BRDs). Current BRDs in the market allow bycatch to escape after entering and interacting with the trawl system. However, their effectiveness is extremely variable depending on the bycatch assemblage, species behaviour, and stock density.

This innovation, from the Australian Maritime College at the University of Tasmania, is a robust system that has been shown to reduce the number of non-target animals actually entering the mouth of the trawl.

• Investment