An underwater robotic sorting device which helps fishing trawlers prevent bycatch by identifying and sizing fish and other marine life in real-time is being developed by researchers from Heriot-Watt University in partnership with Fisheries Innovation & Sustainability (FIS) and funded by the UK Seafood Innovation Fund.
Smartrawl uses AI-technology to determine the individual size and species of marine life captured inside a trawl net using images taken by an underwater stereo camera. It then releases or retains each marine animal depending on whether it qualifies against a trawler’s intended catch using a computer-controlled robotic gate.
Trawling is a fishing practice that herds and captures target species, like fish or prawns, by towing a net along the ocean floor. This method of fishing is known to cause discarding and bycatch, where fish or other marine animals are accidentally caught and returned to the sea, most often dead. According to global marine fisheries data, it is estimated that 46% of all marine fish that are discarded come from this method of fishing.
Developed by researchers from the Lyell Centre and the National Robotarium at Heriot-Watt University, the sorting device has been designed in collaboration with the UK fishing industry. It is able to fit into existing nets of all sizes of vessels and requires no additional cables due to the device’s patented gate system which works with the force of the water to rotate between open and closed states.
Led by Fisheries Innovation & Sustainability (FIS), an industry steering group composed of commercial skippers, fisheries scientists and seafood experts have fed into the unique project since 2017.
Using the system, fishers will be able to program trawls to catch specific marine animals according to their size and species, market conditions and allotted quotas, resulting in no discards or bycatch.
Components of the project have already been tested at sea and further trials are scheduled for later this year [2023] in Shetland using the research vessel Atlantia, operated by the University of the Highlands and Islands.
Administered by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), on behalf of Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the UK Seafood Innovation Fund supports innovative projects which aim to bring new ideas and technology to the UK seafood sector and is part of the wider UK Seafood Fund.
Paul Fernandes, the inventor of Smartrawl, is scientific lead for the project. He is a professor of fisheries science and technology at the Lyell Centre at Heriot-Watt University. He said:
“More than 4 million tonnes of marine fish are unintentionally caught by trawlers around the world every year, as well as bycatch of sharks, rays, dolphins, critically endangered turtles and seabirds. The sad reality is that these creatures, more often than not, are returned to the sea dead or dying.
“Current methods used on trawlers are unable to distinguish between different species and animals or give skippers enough information to build an accurate understanding of the size of individual fish prior to capture.
“Smartrawl has been developed to ensure that vessels only catch the fish they’re targeting, releasing other animals back into their natural environment quickly and without harm. As a result, we’re confident that discarding and bycatch could quickly become a thing of the past and our precious marine life preserved.”
David Richardson is chief entrepreneurial executive at Heriot-Watt University. He said:
“Smartrawl presents a significant step towards benefiting the marine environment whilst protecting the business reputation of seafood producers and contributing to the UK economy. Significantly, it has the potential to revolutionise fisheries around the world by supporting them to be more commercially viable and sustainable.
“Across Heriot-Watt’s breadth of research facilities, institutions and campuses, we’re delivering real-world impact everyday, developing ground-breaking research into commercial applications and pioneering solutions to some of our planet’s most pressing challenges.”
FIS Executive Director, Kara Brydson, said:
“The UK Seafood Innovation Fund supports bold and ambitious tech-driven projects that will enable a step-change in the productivity and sustainability of the UK seafood sector. That perfectly describes Smartrawl, and this grant will take us nearer to our goal of enabling UK fishers to select and retain their high-quality catch while releasing non-target species back into our seas.”
About Heriot-Watt University
Heriot-Watt has a rich heritage of pioneering education to drive industry, since establishing the world’s first Mechanics institute in 1821. The enterprise team embodies the University’s ambition to solve global problems by collaborating with industry, accelerating enterprise creation and commercialising research innovation to incorporate University spin-outs.
Heriot-Watt University is focused on pioneering which solves social and economic problems in close collaboration with industry. The enterprise team works closely with the University’s researchers to transform applied innovation into commercial opportunities which make a real-world impact within life sciences and the environment.
About Smartrawl
Smartrawl is an in-water sorting device with three components: a stereo camera, taking images of animals in the trawl; a computer, with artificial intelligence to determine species and size of animals; and a gate, controlled by the computer to catch or release animals.
FIS has a patent pending for the gate component of Smartrawl: .
About Fisheries Innovation & Sustainability
FIS is the coalition of experts driving strategic innovation for a prosperous and sustainable UK seafood industry. Governed and funded by Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer, Young’s Seafood, Seafish, and the Fishmongers’ Company, FIS facilitates, coordinates and leverages investment for innovation in UK seafood.
About UK Seafood Innovation Fund
The UK Seafood Innovation Fund supports bold and ambitious tech-driven projects that will enable a step-change in the productivity and sustainability of the UK seafood sector. Launching in 2019 and administered by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the UK Seafood Innovation Fund supports projects with a long-term vision to improve the UK seafood, fishing and aquaculture industries. www.seafoodinnovation.fund
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