Derelict fishing gear is a significant and growing conservation problem. In Scotland, this problem is especially acute for the various creel fisheries, which target langoustine, crabs, lobsters and other crustaceans. Large sea mammals such as whales, can get trapped in derelict fishing gear causing injury or even death. The team at the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) is working towards reducing entanglements by surveying derelict/lost creel fleets using active acoustic side-scan sonar
SAMS received £24,950.00 in the SMEEF 2023/24 grant round for this work. This was our first fully privately financed round made possible by donations from businesses interested in restoring and enhancing Scotland’s coasts and seas. Contributors are listed here. For more information about how to contribute to SMEEF contact manager@smeef.scot