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Seabird bycatch reduced by new buoy and kite technology
Scientists have developed two new devices to reduce the accidental death of seabirds caught in fishing nets. A two-year study conducted off the coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom, and published in Conservation Letters, tested the effectiveness of these deterrents in real-world conditions.
The first device, the Looming Eye Buoy (LEB), was developed by Fishtek Marine and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). It features a rotating head with animated eyes designed to scare birds away from gillnets. The second device is a commercial kite shaped like a bird of prey, intended to provide aerial deterrence.
Data analyzed by the University of Exeter indicates that the LEB buoy reduced the risk of bird capture by 59%, while the raptor-shaped kite reduced it by 71%. The study, which involved 10 local fishermen using camera-equipped vessels, also noted that most accidental captures occur during the winter months, suggesting that these tools may be most critical during that season.
Entities
Cornwall · Fishtek Marine · Royal Society for the Protection of Birds · Tom Horton · University of Exeter
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 4 SOURCES] The two-year experiment was conducted off the coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom. www.informacion.es · www.farodevigo.es · efeverde.com · www.levante-emv.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] The Looming Eye Buoy (LEB) was developed by Fishtek Marine and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. www.informacion.es · www.farodevigo.es · efeverde.com · www.levante-emv.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Most accidental bird captures occurred during the winter months. www.informacion.es · www.farodevigo.es · efeverde.com · www.levante-emv.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] The research regarding bird-deterrent devices was published in the journal Conservation Letters. www.informacion.es · www.farodevigo.es · efeverde.com · www.levante-emv.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] An estimated 95,000 seabirds die annually in European fishing nets. www.informacion.es · www.farodevigo.es · efeverde.com · www.levante-emv.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] The risk of accidental bird capture was reduced by 59% using the Looming Eye Buoy and by 71% using a raptor-shaped kite. www.informacion.es · www.farodevigo.es · efeverde.com · www.levante-emv.com