Iceland’s Star-Oddi has developed the Fish Selector, which automatically separates fish while still in the trawl.
The main purpose of the equipment is to reduce bycatch and discarding of fish. The end results will be that the fisherman can increase the value of the catch and contribute to sustainable fisheries.
The Fish Selector is programmed by the fishermen to select fish by specific size and specie. In the Fish Selector there are two video cameras that give a 3D image of the fish and computer equipment that scans the fish entering the device, measuring the length and determining the specie.
Those fish that are not meant to be caught are sorted out and swim away through a bypass gate. The fish approved by the equipment goes into the cod end of the trawl.
The Fish Selector is mounted in front of the cod end of the trawl where eventually all fish will pass through the equipment. The opening/closing of the gates and electronic container is powered by a battery pack that typically lasts four hours (typical trawling time) depending on the activity of the bypass gate.
When the Fish Selector is brought on deck, the collected information on quantity of caught fish and bypassed fish can be retrieved wirelessly to be used by the fishermen or local marine research institutes. Collected data on tilt and depth at different times can be retrieved as well.
In December 2010 the Fish Selector was tested on the research ship Drofn. It operated very well considering it was its first sea trial. After an upcoming survey carried out late 2011, focus will be on reducing the size of the equipment which will give the fishermen the following advantages:
- Using the equipment on deck without consuming much space
- Smaller volume and weight will decrease the hazard of having such equipment on deck
- Fishermen can more easily move the equipment around and could possibly be carried by two fishermen
- Smaller volume and lower weight will make it easier to take the device into use on smaller ships, increasing the market potential
The new version of the Fish Selector will be commercially available in 2012 but Star-Oddi is accepting orders in 2011 for delivery in 2012.
