It’s shocking to learn to that more than 27 million tons of dead unmarketable fish are caught and thrown back into the sea each and every year. The SafetyNet is a technological advancement designed to drastically reduce unwanted “by-catch” and save the lives of juvenile and endangered fish that get tangled in traditional trawling nets.
The SafetyNet concept, envisioned by Dan Watson, uses LED-illuminated rings that allow smaller fish to escape through the net. Larger mesh holes along the bottom enable threatened species such as cod to escape as well. And with a redesigned door to the net, the trawl does not drag along the seafloor and cause damage.
The SafetyNet is a great example that the drive to a more sustainable future takes a healthy balance of technological innovation, increased knowledge, and new practices.
Vote for SafetyNet at the Victorinox Time to Care competition, and watch this video to see how it works.
– Mitchell Flexo