Cooperation nets the benefits of bycatch reduction.

This article focuses on the development of special bycatch reduction devices, inserted into the nets of all estuary prawntrawlers of the Clarence River in New South Wales, which allow small unwanted fish and other species to escape, while retaining most of the targeted sizes of prawns. New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Fisheries Principal Scientist Matt Broadhurst says that it is gratifying to have a high level of industry cooperation. Broadhurst explains that there are two basic approaches to separating target and nontarget organisms namely mechanical and behavioural. In the Clarence River prawn trawl fishery, the researchers and fishers have been investigating both mechanical and behavioural devices to reduce the bycatch of bream and other important fish species, as well as undersize prawns. Steve Kennelly, Chief Scientist with DPI, remarks that it is very difficult to put a dollar figure on the value of bycatch reduction, but there is no doubt that it saves millions of fish a year and has tremendous conservation and commercial value.