Sustainable fisheries – bridging science, industry and technology

Research spotlight: Environmental assessment of scallop innovation gear - EASIG

The EASIG project is an industry-science collaboration project that is undertaking rigorous testing of several modified scallop dredge designs with the aim to reduce the impact of scallop dredging on the seabed, whilst maintaining catch efficiency.

Funded by DEFRA (the UK Government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), as part of its Fisheries Industry Science Partnerships scheme, the project is trialling two scallop dredge gear technologies to ascertain which approach achieves the most environmentally friendly dredge. Currently, standard scallop dredges drag heavy metal teeth and belly bags across the seafloor, damaging organisms living on the seabed.

The first technology is the LISIG (Low Impact Scallop Innovation Gear) skid, originally developed by Lyell Centre fisheries researcher, Dr Marija Sciberras, as part of a UK Seafood Innovation Fund project. The innovative gear modification uses fitted skids to lift metal trawling bags off the seabed, helping to reduce fatal damage to bottom-dwelling species and fauna.

During trials with commercial scallop fisheries in Scotland and Wales as part of the LISIG feasibility study, Marija and collaborators from Bangor University found that the skid showed potential in reducing fatal damage, whilst also increasing the catch of king scallops by an average of 15%. They also saw no change to the amount of fuel used in comparison to standard dredges, meaning their implementation would create additional expense to commercial fisheries.

The second technology being assessed by the EISIG team is the N-VirodredgeTM developed by Deeside Marine Ltd (Kirkcudbright). This innovation has replaced the standard dredge frame and tooth bar with a new design that uses individually sprung tines attached to a dredge frame mounted on skids, reducing the pressure on the seabed caused by the teeth. Initial studies showed that the N-VirodredgeTM dredge could reduce damage to catch and bycatch,and improve fuel efficiency.

The EASIG project is working with industry partners, equipping three vessels across the UK with the LISIG and N-VirodredgeTM modifications to assess their effectiveness, both separately and combined, in comparison to a standard dredge. The team will gather data on a number of performance metrics that include seabed impact and damage, catch selectivity and bycatch damage, bycatch survivability, fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

This exciting project brings together expertise from both science and industry, ensuring any modifications can be supported and adopted by the commercial fishing sector and policymakers. The research aligns with the Ecosystem, Bycatch and Climate Change objectives of the Fisheries Act 2020 and supports the UK’s ambitions to move towards sustainable fisheries as well as consumer demand for sustainably-sourced seafood products.

EASIG is led by Associate Professor in Fisheries Dr Marija Sciberras and Post-Doctoral Research Assistant, Dr Blair Easton from the Lyell Centre in association with Bangor University, and the Scottish and Welsh Fishermen’s Federation. A full list of project partners can be found at this link.