UK tech helps solve the ghost gear crisis

Created by Succorfish, MyGearTag uses tiny modems to find nets, pots and traps over a range of up to three kilometres. Each unit is made entirely from recycled fishing nets and weighs just half a kilo.

“Fishing equipment can be lost for any number of reasons, and unless its owners know where it’s gone, it can be almost impossible to find it again,” explained Chad Hooper, founder and chief executive at Succorfish.

Figures suggest that up to one million tonnes of fishing gear is lost each year at a cost of around £2 billion. Every hour spent looking for lost gear is an hour spent not fishing meaning a ‘double whammy’ in terms of financial impact.

“There is nothing on the market like MyGearTag in terms of its size, cost, low power use and effectiveness, and we’re hugely excited about the prospects for its adoption by the commercial fishing industry right around the world,” continued Hooper.

Suitable for both new equipment or as a retrofit, each unit has a unique ID and is located using the accompanying app. The technology is housed in a robust unit to protect it from conditions at sea and can run on four interchangeable AA batteries for up to six months.

MyGearTag was developed in Newcastle University’s Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering under the pan-European NETTAG+ project, using funding provided by UK Research & Innovation and the EU.

It was trialled in the North Sea and Arabian Sea on board Newcastle University’s RV Princess Royal. Succorfish is now working on finalising distribution and sales agreements with potential global partners.