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IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

Smart FishingLet’s make fishing brighter

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

Fish + Light

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

The Team

Dan WatsonFounder & CEO

• MEng Glasgow Uni/SoA• MA/MSc Imperial/RCA• Design Lead,

Satellite Applications Catapult• Global Winner James Dyson Award

Aran DasanChief Engineer

• MEng Cambridge University• MA/MSc Imperial College

/ Royal College of Art• Mechatronics, Electronics, 

Programming

Mark ThompsonMechanical Engineer

• MEng University of Leeds• Mechanical Design, Prototyping, 

Production

Backers

Industry

Research

Niki BañadosStoryteller

• Design degree– University of New South Wales

• Information and graphic designer• Website, collateral, comms

Nadia LaabsBusiness Development

• MBA INSEAD• MEng UT Austin• New business, Sales strategy

Kunal NandiMechanical Engineer

• MEng University of Bristol• MA/MSc  Imperial College           

/ Royal College of Art• Mechanical Design, Prototyping, 

Production

George AddisonElectronic Engineer

• MSc Physics, University of Kent• Electronics, Power, 

Programming

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

Our ProcessHuman‐Centred Design

Technical Prototyping

Design Engineering

Usability Prototyping

Batch Prototype Production + Testing

Problem/Need Identification

Implementing Science

New Product Innovation

Validation of Assumptions

Proof of Concept

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

Business Model

Consultancy

Own Product Development

Client Needs Assessed

“I need a programmable light for a gill net trial.”

Own Insight Identification

“We think fishermen need a new way of fishing with 

pots.”

Specification Agreed & Technology 

Solution Developed

Technology Solution Built & Supplied (1‐off or Small Batch)

Mass‐Market Product Developed

(100s‐Millions)

Eg. Magic LanternFor researchers to test specific hypotheses

Eg. Escape RingsFor sale to fishermen to solve 

specific, but widely experienced, bycatch problems

Technology Transfer

Mass‐Market Applications of 

Technology Defined

Experimental Outcomes Harnessed

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

Things We’ve Built ‐ Science

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

Light‐Based Projects

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

Things We’ve Built ‐ Applications

Individual nodes

Patterns of ‘collaborative’ nodes

e.g. Trawl Configuration

Can be mounted at different points in the pot

e.g. Pot Configuration

Pisces

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

Project Trawlight

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

Our charter vessel and experimental platform the “Providence” Characteristic Vessels in the Prawn fleet, twin rig, shelter deck around>15m

The Vessel

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

Characteristic Vessels in the Prawn fleet, twin rig, shelter deck around>15m Wheelhouse on board the Providence

The Vessel

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

The Players

Our independent Science Lead (Sam Elliot, CEFAS) First Mate (and former Grimsby Fisher) Brian Young’s Marine Biologist David Parker

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

The Trawlight Gear, 90mm aperture Light rings (x6) – Bright LEDs bolted into the  Square mesh panel on the starboard sidetrawl

The Trawlight Gear, 90mm aperture Lightrings (x6) – Bright LEDs bolted into the Square mesh panel on the starboard sidetrawl

The Trawlight Gear, 90mm aperture Light rings (x6) – Bright LEDs bolted into the  Square mesh panel on the starboard sidetrawl

Escape Ring Device

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

The trawl being deployed (circa 5.30am), careful inspection highlights the glowing  patches in the net clearly visible for significant duration after net deployment owedto  their brightness.

Net Hauling circa 10am (Note Skipper Nigel in his Yellow High Viscoat)

Deploy and Haul

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

The Catch being released from the cod end of the net into the hopper on theopen  deck and then channelled through into the sorting table under the shelterdeck

Macro shot of the mixed nature of the catch

The Catch

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

The Star of the show and target species, the langoustine and scampi Nephropsnorvegicus

Once the net with the light rings on was unloaded, the catch had to berapidly  decanted into boxes and baskets for separation to identify if there was an  experimental effect before the second net could be emptied and the trawl re‐ deployed

Turnaround

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

Subsamples of both nets catches (experimental and standard) then had to berapidly  recorded by Sam Elliot, CEFAS (seen here) and Young’s Marine Biologist David Parker  to identify any effect from the trawlight gear

Subsamples of both nets catches (experimental and standard) then had to berapidly  recorded by Sam Elliot, CEFAS and Young’s Marine Biologist David Parker(seen here)  to identify any effect from the trawlight gear

Sampling

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

Formal and statistically significant results are not yet in as we still need to conduct a  few more trials in the new year – however initial observations suggest a reduction in  bycatch of around 33% which is verypromising.

The providence leaving the landing dock after a hard day’s fishing (9pm)

Trial’s End

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

Vessel• FV Providence (North Shields)• Twin Rig Nephrops Trawler

Trials• Carried out in October 2015, November  

2015 and February 2016

Standard Cefas Sampling Protocol• Control Rig and Experimental Rig• Port and Starboard catches separated

Camera• Unfortunately failed

Cefas Process

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

800

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

0 48   50   52   54   56   59   61    67

Num

bero

fFish

8    10   12   14   16   18   20   22   24   26   28   30   32   34   36   38   40   42   44       46

Length

Control Lights

Total Number of Fish per Length for All Species Caught

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

0

100

300

200

400

500

Dab

12   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28       30

Control Lights

0

20

40

60

80

Plaice

Control Lights

0

50

100

150

200

11 13 15 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 39

Whiting

Control Lights

0

20

60

40

80

100

12 13 15 16 17 18 19 20

NorwayPout

Control Lights

2000

1500

1000

500

01.7 1.8 1.9   2   2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9   3   3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9   4 4.1  4.2  4.3  4.4  4.5  4.6  4.7  4.8  4.9   5 5.1

19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34         36

Nephrops

Control Lights

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

Preliminary Results indicate there was a difference

Observations• Fewer fish caught in the Experimental Trawl• Fewer small fish caught in the Experimental  

Trawl

Limitations• Didn’t Get a chance to swap the Experimental and  

Control Rigs• Differences in Ground gear?• Limited number of hauls• Video footage• More Data Needed – Future Work….

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

Improved catch selectivity of fishing gears toavoid unwanted by‐catch

Real gap here, lack of true innovation  and perfect opportunity for the supply chain to make a  difference.

A call to Action…

The Trawlight Gear Innovation Consortium

Gear Selectivity 2.0

Potential Work streams

• Work stream 1: Develop and test light as a medium to change fish behaviour and  reducediscards

• Work stream 2: Work with partners such as Fisheries innovation Scotland, GTAG,  Catching sector, Seafish Mike Montgomerie, CEFAS etc to identify other innovative  solutions to the selectivity problem

• Work stream 3: Build, develop and experiment on new innovative solutions with  the catching sector

• Overarching workstream: Work with the catching sector to share best practice and  disseminate project results through the media in innovative ways

Outcomes

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

BYCATCH…       REDUCTION

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author

Thanks for listening

IFSTAL symposium 2017 - reuse of any part should be credited to the original author