Development of biodegradable materials to reduce the effect of ghost fishing in the Norwegian deep-sea gillnet fisheries.

Project title:

Development of biodegradable materials to reduce the effect of ghost fishing in the Norwegian deep-sea gillnet fisheries.

Duration:

2016 – 2018

Project objectives:

The main objective is to introduce biodegradable gillnets in the Norwegian gillnet fishery for Greenland halibut, cod, saithe and monkfish. This is a responsible fisheries management incentive to reduce the impact of ghost fishing and pollution of plastics in the environment.

Secondary objectives are:

• Define the adequate biodegradation speed of PBS gillnets to suit target fisheries in Norway.
• Adapt the material composition of biodegradable monofilament to biological, physical and oceanographic conditions of the identified target gillnet fisheries.
• Adjust the biodegradation speed of PBS monofilaments at a molecular level to suit the requirements of the identified target fisheries.
• Study physical properties (flexibility, elongation, breaking strength, biodegradation speed), of adjusted biodegradable mono- and multi-monofilament in controlled conditions.
• Asses the fishing efficiency and catch quality of biodegradable gillnets vs those made of nylon.

Participants involved:

SINTEF FISKERI OG HAVBRUK AS

UNIVERSITETET I TROMSØ

FISKERIDIREKTORATET

EAST SEA FISHERIES RESEARCH INSTITUTE-COREA-

SAMSUNG FINE CHEMICALS CO LTD.-COREA-

FISKERI- OG HAVBRUKSNÆRINGENS FORSKNINGSFOND