The goal of this project is to demonstrate that ropeless fishing can be conducted at a scale that is commensurate with typical fishing operations while providing risk reduction for marine mammal…

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded Sub Sea Sonics, LLC $399,168 under the Unallied Science Program cooperative agreement to demonstrate that ropeless fishing can be conducted at a scale representative of typical fishing operations while reducing risks to marine mammals. The work will involve establishing a pathway for large-scale adoption of ropeless fishing among Dungeness crab fishers in California through outreach, equipment provision, training, and at-sea trials. Sub Sea Sonics will provide early adopters expertise in ropeless fishing techniques and demonstrate that ropeless fishing can be successfully scaled up for participating fishers. Results will identify further technological improvements, remaining barriers to implementation, and recommend a path forward to support ropeless fishing industry-wide. The Unallied Science Program supports biological, socio-economic and physical science research contributing to optimal management of U.S. fishery and protected resources.

The goal of this project is to demonstrate that ropeless fishing can be conducted at a scale that is commensurate with typical fishing operations while providing risk reduction for marine mammal entanglement and an alternative to time-area closures. The work will comprise four tasks including (1) establishing a pathway for large-scale utilization and implementation of ropeless fishing for dungeness crab fishers in california; (2) providing the necessary outreach, equipment, training and at-sea trials to develop and verify the required level of ropeless fishing expertise for key early adopters; (3) demonstrating and documenting that ropeless fishing can be successfully scaled to a level that is representative of large-scale adoption for participating fishers, and (4) using the results to identify further technology improvements, define remaining barriers to implementation, educate the fishing community on the outcomes, and recommend a path forward for ropeless fishing that can be suppor