Sea 'scarecrows' to help prevent seabird deaths
PAA "floating scarecrow" has helped stop endangered seabirds such as guillemots and razorbill getting caught in fishing nets, researchers have said.
Scientists from Fishtek Marine, based in Devon, developed the device known as a Looming Eye Buoy with the RSPB before trialling it off the Cornish coast.
The research, analysed by the University of Exeter, suggested the scarecrow device, which has a spinning top using an animated eye effect to scare birds, decreased the risk of rare birds being caught in nets by about two-thirds.
Scientists said simple deterrents could have a positive impact on species like guillemots and razorbill which are on the Amber List of UK Birds of Conservation Concern.
The accidental capture and death of animals not being targeted by fishermen is known as bycatch and Fishtek Marine said an estimated 95,000 diving seabirds are caught in nets and drown across Europe.
Along with the LEB, researchers also deployed a commercially available kite in the shape of a bird of prey, known as a "scarybird kite".
Following the two-year trial which involved 10 Cornish fishermen, Fishtek Marine said the research showed the chances of birds being caught were reduced by 59% using LEBs and by 71% using kites.
Nina Constable MediaTom Hooper, senior fisheries scientist at Fishtek Marine, said the trials were "very encouraging".
"This technology means that fishing can continue while reducing the effects on seabirds," Hooper said.
"However, any technology used at sea must be simple and robust, so working with fishermen means that we learned a great deal about how the devices were used and as a result we can refine and improve so that it fits their operational needs."
The RSPB, which worked on the scarecrow device with Fishtek Marine during an eight-year collaboration, said finding solutions to help avoid bycatch was great.
Yann Rouxel, bycatch programme manager at the RSPB, said: "The performance of the LEB and kite, as evidenced in this study, is a major milestone in the effort to reduce seabird bycatch without impeding gillnet fishers while at sea."
