Industrial fisheries unintentionally kill thousands of marine animals every year. Can new technology help solve this problem? On average, around a thousand dolphins are found stranded on beaches every winter. Many dolphins that suffocate in nets never make it to the shore — they sink unseen, leaving researchers to grapple with incomplete data on the full extent of the problem.
These losses not only undermine marine ecosystems — they also disrupt the livelihoods of fishers who depend on these waters. For the second winter in a row, authorities have imposed a month-long closure of fisheries to reduce the risks to dolphins. In the meantime, several European research projects are looking for innovative technological solutions that can protect marine life without halting fishing altogether.
This device emits signals that mimic the echo patterns dolphins rely on to navigate their surroundings. By creating an acoustic image of danger — a recorded echo of a fishing net with a dead entangled dolphin — the beacon prompts dolphins to avoid the area.
Initial tests conducted by the scientists show promising results. However, for this technology to become officially adopted, it must prove effective in large-scale trials onboard professional fishing vessels.
Fishers suggest the beacon devices need to be scaled down to better fit through fishing gear machinery. The devices must also remain affordable for fishers who operate with nets stretching tens of kilometres long. The beacons also require regular maintenance and recharging, which adds to the workload of already overstretched crews. Dolphins are not the only victims of unintended capture in fisheries.
