WWF is launching the 2014 International Smart Gear Competition, which seeks and supports innovative solutions to address fisheries bycatch, the unintentional catch of fish and other marine species.
The competition began on Saturday and ends 31 August.
The Smart Gear Competition aims to spur ideas for environmentally-friendly fishing gear that allows fishermen to fish smarter while helping to maintain ocean health, said Alfred Schumm, Leader of WWF’s Global Smart Fishing Initiative. In addition to fishermen losing millions of dollars each year due to bycatch, many other species, including endangered marine life, are unintentionally and needlessly killed by antiquated fishing gear and it is jeopardizing their survival.
The 2014 International Smart Gear Competition will offer its largest prize purse to date, totalling USD 65,000, including:
A grand prize of USD 30,000 and two USD 10,000 runner-up prizes, sponsored by Fondation Segré.
In partnership with John West Foods, a USD 7,500 special prize will be awarded to the idea that identifies a solution to reduce the amount of bycatch found in both purse seine and longline tuna fisheries in the waters of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission.
Finally, with the Marine Mammal Commission and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) sponsorship, a USD 7,500 special prize that will be awarded to the entry judged to most effectively reduce the bycatch of marine mammals in gillnet fisheries.
After the prizes are awarded, WWF will work with each of the winners to bring their ideas to life and see them implemented in fisheries around the world.
“Today, more than 40 per cent of the winning ideas identified by the competition in previous years are being used regularly in different types of fisheries, Schumm said.
WWF hihghlights that since its launch in 2004, the International Smart Gear Competition has demonstrated that conservation and industry can successfully work together to identify and eventually implement solutions to reduce bycatch.
Past winners have included specially designed lights that reduce the bycatch of turtles in gillnets, and a device to reduce the bycatch of seabirds on tuna longlines.
This year, the competition is being supported by Fondation Segre, Bumble Bee Foods, John West Foods, the Marine Mammal Commission, NOAA, and WWF.
1995 – 2014 Fish Info & Services Co.Ltd