The Department of Marine Resources (DMR) received a $5.1 million award in November 2023 from NOAA and the nonprofit National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to test ropeless fishing gear in the lobster fishery, specifically looking at the effectiveness of acoustic systems. Part of the funding went to creation of the Maine Innovative Gear Library. The Library provides lobstermen access to different gear types to test while fishing, at no cost. We asked Briony Donahue at DMR several questions about the new program.
On-demand gear. DMR photo.
When did the Library begin to loan gear out? How long can lobstermen use the gear?
This summer the DMR started testing on-demand fishing gear through its Maine Innovative Gear Library (MIGL). DMR holds an Experimental Fishing Permit for testing on-demand and other alternative gear in federal waters for up to 65 participants and a Maine Special License for testing in state waters. This includes both lobster and gillnet fishermen. The MIGL loans out two units of gear to participants and maintains one endline on each trawl during testing. Each unit acts to replace one endline in pair/triple/trawl configurations.
The timeline for how long they will be testing gear is mostly up to the fishermen themselves. We don’t have a specific clause about a minimum/maximum timeframe, or minimum/maximum number of hauls each participant must complete. Participants can phase out when they’d like. We will continue to collect data on use and performance of different systems until at least 2027 and potentially through the regulatory process leading up to potential changes in 2029.
How many different types of gear do you have and are you adding more?
DMR has a variety of gears for testing including 85 on-demand, 21 timed release, and 21 spring release systems. The six different on-demand systems that use acoustically triggered releases are stowed rope and liftbag technologies. Stowed rope systems, such as Edgetech, Sub Sea Sonics/Guardian, and Ashored, all have contained rope on the ocean floor. The line and buoy are released when an acoustic trigger is sent. Liftbag technologies, such as Ropeless Systems and SMELTS, use varying sizes of SCUBA cylinders to inflate a liftbag, which brings the system to the surface. We also have both timed and spring release alternatives produced by Nova Robotics, which also use stowed rope.
The sophistication of the systems runs the gambit from one-way acoustics to systems that are able to integrate with a chart plotter and have the capability to range to the unit and report back the location of the unit on the sea floor. We continue to expand the library with different types of systems, such as spooled rope, and more units as participation increases.
How many lobstermen have checked out gear from the Gear Library?
We have five fishermen testing on-demand gear and three fishermen currently testing other alternative gear such as timed and spring releases. The privacy of our participants is very important, and we don’t share names or where they fish. There are an additional eight fishermen who are in the process of being brought into the program.
What are you hearing from them?
Without a large sample size for the testing, it’s hard to generalize. Feedback varies, but in general fishermen are finding that the systems do work and come to the surface, but the time it takes for the acoustic trigger to occur, haul the gear, and get it ready to set again can vary. Fishermen have identified issues with battery components and suggested improvements for some rope stowage system designs to improve device reliability. We have seen manufacturers be very responsive to fishermen’s concerns, with newer models incorporating changes. We are also sending any safety concerns back to the manufacturers as well.
We need participants that represent the various bottom types, currents, fishing configurations, and inshore and offshore areas to give their input so that we have a much broader understanding of the different capabilities of the technologies in the diverse fixed gear fisheries in Maine.
What is it that you want lobstermen to know about the Library?
The bottom line is that if any of these systems may be needed for fishermen to access areas closed to vertical lines to meet risk reduction mandates, we want to make sure that their voices are heard and that they are able to give feedback to the manufacturers. We do want fishermen to have confidence in device performance when choosing products that allow access to those restricted areas.
Learn more here about DMR's Innovative Gear Library or contact Briony Donahue at DMRgearlibrary@maine.gov.
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