Research project makes commercial prawn fishing more sustainable

A NSW Government research project involving North Coast commercial prawn fishers is helping to make fishing gear more environmentally friendly, NSW Fisheries announced today.

The three-year project, which involves the use of new technology, is greatly reducing the amount of small, unwanted prawns and fish - known as by-catch - from commercial prawn-catching gears throughout the state.

Apart from reducing waste and helping conserve aquatic resources, by-catch reduction devices also benefit commercial fishers by reducing the need to sort unwanted catch.

The most successful technology developed so far has been devices that, when inserted into nets, allow more than 90 per cent of by-catch to escape from prawn trawls used in the Clarence River.

North Coast commercial fishers are working closely with NSW Fisheries on the project.

The research project is being led by NSW Fisheries Coffs Harbour-based Conservation Technology Unit, which was set up last year to help develop more sustainable fishing methods.

The new Unit is a first for NSW and a first for Australia - it's an important part of the NSW Government's commitment to manage our fisheries in a sustainable way.

NSW Fisheries will continue to work with fishers to develop more selective fishing gears that further reduce by-catch and sorting times.