From the Responsible Seafood Advocate: Fatal interactions with orca whales in the Bering Sea deep-water flatfish fishery spurred industry to collaborate with scientists, gear manufacturers, and marine mammal experts to develop a "killer whale fence" that deters orcas from following fish into trawl nets.
The fence is comprised of a large mesh panel secured to the trawl net's headrope and wings that expand and contract with the net. The fence's materials are detectable via echolocation, ensuring it is effective in dark or turbid conditions. The fence is also cost-accessible, with the potential to be adopted across a wide variety of fleets.
Featured Bycatch Species
Historically, the Chilean dolphin has been hunted both for food and for crab bait (Reeves et al 2008).