Saving Sea Turtles with Solar-Powered Fishing Nets
A new study reveals that LED lights on fishing nets can reduce entanglements by 63 percent.
For fishers, it can be challenging to avoid catching endangered or unwanted animals, such as sea turtles, in their nets, especially at night.
Traditional lighted nets have limitations, including short-lived batteries, high replacement costs, and disposal issues. The lights are also heavy, causing nets to sag and making them difficult for fishers to work with.
- Short-lived batteries
- Expensive to replace
- Difficult to dispose of
A team from Arizona State University has developed solar-powered light buoys to address these issues.
These lights charge with sunlight, function like buoys, and can be threaded onto the float line. They flash on and off to conserve energy and can stay on for five days without sunlight.
The LED lights reduced entanglements by 63 percent, according to a new study.
Author's summary: Solar-powered fishing nets reduce sea turtle entanglements.