Technological advancements for carbon-footprint reduction in the northern shrimp fishery (113172)

Demersal trawl fisheries play a significant role in global seafood production, targeting species like bottom-dwelling fish and shellfish. However, these fisheries are troubled by a series of challenges that threaten their environmental and economical sustainability. One of the most pressing issues is the environmental impact associated with the operations of demersal trawl vessels, in particular impacts on the seabed and carbon footprint, where fuel consumption plays a major role.

Trawl vessels rely heavily on fossil fuels to power their operations, including the deployment and retrieval of fishing gear, navigation, and onboard processing of catch. This excessive fuel usage contributes to carbon emissions and air pollution, while also driving up operating costs for fishing operators. The consequences of such practices include environmental degradation, increased greenhouse gas emissions, and economic instability within the fishing industry, especially during periods of high fuel prices such as nowadays.

To address these challenges and improve the sustainability of demersal trawl fisheries, there is a growing focus on integrating existing technologies that can be added to or used in parallel with fishing gear. These technologies aim to reduce fuel consumption and mitigate the negative impacts of trawl fishing on marine ecosystems. Therefore, by incorporating these technologies, demersal trawl fisheries can transition towards more sustainable practices. This not only benefits the marine environment by reducing habitat destruction and bycatch, but also promotes economic stability within the fishing industry through lowered operational costs. Ultimately, the integration of innovative technologies holds the potential to reshape demersal trawl fisheries into a model of responsible and sustainable resource management.

A pertinent case study highlighting the importance of this paradigm shift is the Northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) demersal trawl fishery in Denmark. As a vital commercial fishery, it stands out due to its substantial fuel consumption per catch, both in terms of economic value and physical mass. The fishing industry has identified three primary factors contributing to this excessive fuel use, stemming from their fishing gear and operational tactics. Firstly, the industry acknowledges that the use of potentially oversized trawl nets can result in the unnecessary deployment of bulky fishing equipment, leading to increased drag forces and subsequently higher fuel consumption. Secondly, the practice of extended haul durations (8-14 hours), conducted without real-time catch-specific data, leads to inefficiencies in catch performance and uninformed decision-making, ultimately resulting in greater fuel consumption per unit of catch weight. Lastly, the utilization of heavy demersal trawl doors, which are in constant contact with the seabed, not only adds to the overall weight of the fishing gear but also intensifies the drag forces exerted during door-pulling, thus demanding more fuel for propulsion. Consequently, this fishery offers an opportune platform to apply and evaluate state-of-the-art technology with the objective of diminishing fuel consumption and minimizing the interaction between the fishing gear and the seabed.

Funding

The project is co-funded by the European Union through the Danish Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Programme (EMFAF).

Research area: Fisheries Technology

Research area: Ecosystem based Marine Management
Research area: Marine Populations and Ecosystem Dynamics

Research area: Fisheries Management