Grant: Alliance Grants

Incidental take of non-target fish species, often called "bycatch" is a significant problem for commercial fisheries as well as the hydropower industry but ti can be difficult to avoid bycatch without economic impact, such as decreasing catch rates of desired species for fisheries or decreasing inflow of water needed for hydropower. Physical obstructions are rarely species-specific and get readily clogged with things like seagrass, floating obstructions or biofouling, so more selective solutions are urgently needed. Responses to sensory stimuli can vary by species and have the potential for use to direct fish behaviour and of these sensory stimuli, sound has great potential due to its ability to be transmitted some distance from the source regardless of conditions such as available light or water current. The current proposal will test the use of sound cues to direct fish movements away from fishing nets and away from intake pipes needed for hydropower use, with a special emphasis for species-specific responses. Working with two industrial partners (Rising Tide Bioacoustics and Katchi Technologies) we will test sound sources to reduce bycatch in the Acadian redfish fishery using smart-trawl technology being developed by Katchi Technologies and also attempt to direct fish away from hydropower intakes with acoustic devices designed by Rising Tide Bioacoustics. In this manner we hope to develop innovative solutions to these long-standing problems plaguing both industries and reduce undesired environmental impacts without negatively impacting the economics of either industry, both of which are vital to Canada's economy.