Whalesafe fishing gear
Infographic: What is Whalesafe Gear?
To help protect North Atlantic right whales and other whale species, DFO is working closely with the fishing industry, Indigenous groups and other partners to make fishing gear safer for whales.
Whalesafe gear falls into two general categories:
- Low breaking-strength rope or links that are designed to break at 1,700 lbs. of force. This gear will make it easier for entangled whales to free themselves and reduce the risk of serious injury; and
- Systems that allow fishing gear to be deployed without vertical line in the water, either rope-on-demand systems that stow buoy lines at the sea floor, or inflatable bag systems that eliminate buoy lines. These are released by an acoustic signal sent from the fishing vessel.
DFO is developing a long-term strategy for testing and implementing whalesafe fishing gear in Canadian fisheries. This strategy, to be developed in consultation with Indigenous partners, fish harvesters, non-government organizations and academic experts, will guide the development and use of on-demand gear (without a fixed vertical line) and low breaking strength gear in fisheries across Canada to prevent and reduce harm from entanglements.
The department organized the Whalesafe gear trial results symposium with partners who participated in whalesafe gear trials, including those funded through the Whalesafe Gear Adoption Fund. These groups shared the outcomes of their work, including successes, challenges, lessons learned, and ways forward.
DFO's main objective is to prevent entanglements from happening. We are doing this by opening fisheries before North Atlantic right whales arrive in our waters, by closing fishing areas where and when whales are detected, and by removing ghost gear.
Whalesafe Gear Adoption Fund
Fisheries and Oceans Canada's Whalesafe Gear Adoption Fund (WSGF) provided up to $20 million towards the purchase, testing and refinement of whalesafe gear. We want to make sure that low breaking-strength fishing gear is safe, effective at protecting whales, and readily available to support harvesters with the transition to new gear.
The Whalesafe Gear Adoption Fund also provided support to Canadian manufacturers to increase the domestic supply of commercially-ready whalesafe gear.
Groups in the following categories were eligible to apply to the Whalesafe Gear Adoption Fund:
- Canadian not-for-profit and charitable organizations
- Canadian companies, businesses, organizations, and associations
- Indigenous organizations and communities
- Recognized research, academic, and educational institutions
| Name | Area of work | Description | Total funding for 2021-2023 | Focus of work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia University | Scotian Shelf, Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia | This project is designed to test whalesafe gear and document successful gear configurations for the offshore lobster fishery. Low breaking strength rope and links will be tested in conditions that previous gear trials have not tested. This includes deep-sea, high-current conditions that create different patterns of stress through drag and torsion on trawl lines, which may cause gear to perform differently under different load conditions. Some of the strongest tides of Nova Scotia are in this region, as the waters here move in and out of the Bay of Fundy twice daily. Our tests will determine if either technology can withstand the fishing rigours of the deep-sea, high-current lobster fishery, and if so, what gear configurations work best to support adoption by offshore lobster fishers. | $271,188 | Low breaking-strength ropes/links |
| Area 19 Snow Crab Association | Cape Breton, Nova Scotia | The goal of this project is to purchase and test different types of whalesafe gear on snow crab fishing gear and to provide data on which type of whalesafe gear will work best on the gear in the specific conditions of the fishery. | $199,000 |
On-demand gear Low breaking strength ropes/links |
| Ashored Inc. | Throughout Atlantic Canada and Quebec | Ashored has been developing a rope-on-demand system for over 3 years. This project will help them increase their manufacturing capacity to meet the anticipated need for rope-on-demand fishing gear in the coming years. This also is expected to lower costs and make the system more affordable for harvesters. | $338,800 | On-demand gear |
| Association des Crabiers Gaspésiens | Gulf of St. Lawrence, Quebec | This team proposes to purchase and test three different rope-on-demand systems, to then train harvesters and fishery officers in their implementation and use for the snow crab fishery in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The testing will include a system developed by a Canadian manufacturer, with the goal of informing and supporting the production of the system on a commercial scale. | $439,127.50 | On-demand gear |
| Association of Inshore Fishermen/Association des pêcheurs côtiers des Iles (APCI) | Gulf of St. Lawrence, Quebec | The APCI will conduct at-sea trials of different types of low breaking-strength gear modifications, to determine which type(s) will be best suited to the fishing conditions around the Magdalen Islands. | $149,200 | Low breaking strength rope/links |
| Canadian Centre for Fisheries Innovation (CCFI) | Newfoundland and Labrador | The CCFI represents harvesters, processors, aquaculture operators, business owners and academic leaders across Atlantic Canada. The purpose of this project is to test and evaluate a rope-on-demand system being developed by Ashored Inc. This will first be done by Centre researchers, and then in commercial lobster and crab fisheries. | $790,102.76 | On-demand gear |
| Canadian Whale Institute | Gulf of St. Lawrence, Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick | This project will contribute to the development of a virtual multi-manufacturer gear location marking system, to support the use of rope-on-demand fishing gear. This system allows fish harvesters and enforcement officers to locate equipment quickly when it does not have traditional surface buoys. This project seeks to inform manufacturers and decision makers about adaptations that will encourage the safe and economical use of rope-on-demand gear in multiple Canadian fisheries, including lobster, snow crab, hagfish and halibut. | $550,000 | On-demand gear |
| Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) | Bay of Fundy, Scotian Shelf, Gulf of St. Lawrence | CWF will create a gear-lending program with several types of whalesafe gear options (rope-on-demand systems, low breaking strength links, sleeves, low breaking strength rope, etc.) that will be available to fish harvesters across the Maritimes. The goal is to have at least 200 fish harvesters participate in trials of whalesafe gear. CWF will maintain a warehouse of the gear in NS and will hire technicians to support the maintenance and distribution of gear. | $3,513,800 |
On-demand gear Low breaking strength ropes/links |
| Cape Breton Fish Harvesters Association | Cape Breton, Nova Scotia | To determine whether low breaking strength technology will work in lobster, crab, and groundfish fisheries in Eastern Cape Breton, this project will test a variety of low breaking strength gear technology options. The goal is to find out the best ways to use the technology that has the least impact on harvesters. This work will expand on a pilot project that assessed the effectiveness and safety of each gear technology. | $102,928.07 | Low breaking-strength ropes/links |
| Clearwater Seafoods | Scotian Shelf offshore, Nova Scotia | Clearwater Seafoods plans to purchase 100 time tension line cutters (TTLC) to be installed on their offshore lobster fishing gear. During the 12 month fishing season, they will conduct laboratory tests as well as at-sea trials to refine the performance of the TTLCs to suit the conditions of this deep water fishery. | $250,000 | Low breaking strength rope/links |
| CoastLine Cordage Group Ltd. | Throughout Atlantic Canada and Quebec | This project aims to produce a cost-effective braided low breaking strength link that can be spliced in to existing vertical buoy lines, for use in any fixed gear fishery. WSGF supports Coastline Cordage to set up the manufacturing process to produce the low breaking strength link. The project will include trials with various lobster and crab harvesters, with the objective of making it available broadly to fishers by 2023. | $800,000 | Low breaking strength rope/links |
| Coldwater Lobster Association | Scotian Shelf, Nova Scotia | The Coldwater Lobster Association represents lobster harvesters in Southwest Nova Scotia. The purpose of the project is to test 4 low breaking strength rope and low breaking-strength link technologies as whalesafe gear options. | $426,478 | Low breaking strength rope/links |
| Conseil de la Première Nation des Innus de Nutashkuan | Quebec | The purpose of this project is to adapt and test a rope-on-demand buoy system that has been used in Europe's marine environment. The WSGF will support the improvement of the manufacturing process, to provide enough buoy systems for testing in four fishing zones. | $500,000 | On-demand gear |
| Coopérative des capitaines-propriétaires de la Gaspésie (ACPG) | Gulf of St. Lawrence, Quebec | ACPG will test new gear modification systems, with an emphasis on rope-on-demand systems and a ropeless airbag system. ACPG will test a variety of gear with the goal of adopting this state-of-the-art equipment for whale protection in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, specifically in the 12A snow crab fishery, and in the 4RST groundfish fishery. ACPG wants to adopt existing gear, devices and systems that are safer for marine mammals while supporting the coexistence of commercial fishing with marine mammals. | $270,000 | On-demand gear |
| Devocean | Gulf of St. Lawrence, Quebec | This project aims to develop an innovative rope-on-demand fishing system. The project will contribute to the main objective of the WSGF by commercialising a fishing system that will lower the risk of whales becoming entangled in crab fishing ropes. The Devocean system would remove the vertical line from the water column, except when the harvester wishes to retrieve the traps, supporting coexistence of fish harvesters and marine wildlife. | $153,318 | On-demand gear |
| Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University | Newfoundland and Labrador | The Marine Institute will work with local fish harvesters to test low breaking strength rope/links, braided sleeves, hydraulic load-limiters, a spring tagline release, and time tension line cutters (TTLCs). They will host 15 demonstration sessions to reach at least 750 harvesters in Newfoundland and Labrador. | $1,169,000 | Low breaking strength rope/links |
| Fundy North Fishermen's Association (FNFA) | Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick | FNFA plans to test a variety of innovative low breaking-strength devices in their lobster fishing gear over two years. Their focus is to identify cost-effective solutions for longer term use in the fishery. | $247,650 | Low breaking strength rope/links |
| Grand Manan Fishermen's Association | Bay of Fundy | The purpose of this project is to test low breaking-strength rope in lobster and longline groundfish fisheries. The WSGF is supporting the purchase of low breaking-strength rope and the cost of sea trials by harvesters. | $763,836 | Low breaking strength rope/links |
| Homarus Inc | Gulf of St. Lawrence, New Brunswick | Homarus Inc. is the research unit of the Maritime Fishermen's Union and through this project, they will expand their current trials of the Edgetech rope-on-demand system. Their goal is to test the Edgetech system on various trap and trawl configurations in the crab and lobster fisheries. | $380,215 | On-demand gear |
| JASCO | Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador |
JASCO will support the development and adoption of ropeless fishing gear by providing a simple ropeless trap system that can be deployed and recovered quickly and easily by the harvester. This system incorporates a location marking system so fishery officers can identify the gear as needed. The project will also help position JASCO to mass-produce ropeless traps and to provide economic benefit in Atlantic Canada and to their project partner, Miawpukek First Nation. |
$270,097 | On-demand gear |
| Merinov | Gulf of St. Lawrence, Quebec | Merinov is working to develop and refine an innovative low breaking strength link and advance it toward commercial availability. The objective of the "Double Threshold Weak Link (MF2S)" project is to improve, for commercial use, an innovative link prototype designed to break when a whale exerts tension on a vertical rope. This prototype has an adjustable double threshold to resist breaking when harvesters haul up the trap (tensions of the order of 3,500 lbs), while being able to break at tensions of 1,700 lbs exerted by an entangled whale. The device will be installed on the vertical line at an optimal location. Its ease of use, cost and durability should encourage the use of this technology that is designed to reduce whale entanglement risk, while not impacting fishing activities. | $844,235 | Low breaking-strength ropes/links |
| Mi'gmaq Maliseet Aboriginal Fisheries Management Association (MMAFMA) | Gulf of St. Lawrence, Quebec | This project will expand on previous trials for the lobster fishery, involving other Indigenous fishers. WSGF funding will support the purchase of equipment for larger scale low breaking strength gear trials, and the purchase of ropeless fishing gear for comparative testing in their fisheries. | $300,000 |
On-demand gear Low breaking strength ropes/links |
| Miawpukek First Nation | Newfoundland and Labrador |
Netukulimk Fisheries Limited (NFL)/Miawpukek First Nation (MFN) will receive ropeless traps and training to conduct trials of ropeless traps with inflatable lift bags, and standalone acoustic systems supplied by project partner JASCO. NFL staff and crews will be trained to use the equipment, and collect 4-6 weeks of ropeless fishing and other data to help find solutions to improve the gear. Another goal of the project is to move toward full production of the system so it can be used by many harvesters. |
$275,000 | On-demand gear |
| Micmacs of Gesgapegiag | Gulf of St. Lawrence, Quebec | The purpose of this project is to test 3 different whalesafe gear modifications and identify which one will be most suitable to adopt in their fleet after trials are complete. | $360,000 |
On-demand gear Low breaking strength ropes/links |
| Millbrook First Nation | Gulf of St. Lawrence; Bay of Fundy Nova Scotia. | The purpose of this project is to test a variety of rope-on-demand systems, and low breaking strength devices, in snow crab and lobster fisheries. These gear trials will help Millbrook First Nation determine which systems best suit their fisheries, guiding the purchase of gear to outfit more vessels in their fleet. | $500,000 |
On-demand gear Low breaking strength ropes/links |
| Nova Robotics - project 1 | Throughout Atlantic Canada and Quebec | The WSGF is supporting Nova Robotics to increase their manufacturing, assembly and testing capacity for their low breaking strength Rope Spring Release and trials to fisheries in Atlantic Canada and Quebec. The project includes outreach to fishing communities for training on the use of the spring release, as well as conducting trials for different gear types and configurations. They also propose to develop a second device, a low cost rope-based “Shear Plane” low breaking strength link, designed to be spliced into any size rope and provide a calibrated 1,700 lbs breaking strength. Through this project they will increase production and testing of its reliability and flexibility. | $350,000 |
On-demand gear Low breaking strength ropes/links |
| Nova Robotics - project 2 | Nova Scotia; all areas | This funding supports Nova Robotics in a project to incorporate whalesafe technologies in commercial fisheries. For example, by modifying their weak rope spring release to make it more compatible with the large quantities of rope used in turbot fishing, a fishery that has to date not been testing new whalesafe fishing technologies. | $60,000 | Low breaking-strength ropes/links |
| OCEAN-CAM | Gulf of St. Lawrence, Quebec | OCEAN-CAM is developing an innovative rope-on-demand buoy system that it wishes to make commercially viable for fixed gear fisheries. The company will work with harvesters to test and refine their system. | $500,000 | On-demand gear |
| Passamaquoddy Recognition Group | Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick | Passamaquoddy Recognition Group is testing 12 rope-on-demand units, to refine them for their lobster fishery in the Bay of Fundy. | $121,600 |
On-demand gear Low breaking strength ropes/links |
| PEI Fishermen's Association (PEIFA) | Gulf of St. Lawrence, Prince Edward Island | This project takes a cost-sharing approach to identifying a whalesafe gear solution for PEI lobster fishers. Each harvester will be given $1,000 to purchase gear modifications of their choosing to test and determine which whalesafe gear will work best for their fishing conditions. The PEIFA will lead the distribution of gear for trials and deployment in fisheries as well as maintaining a database to track which modifications are tested and the results of these trials. | $2,250,000 |
On-demand gear Low breaking strength ropes/links |
| Polysteel Atlantic Ltd. | Throughout Atlantic Canada and Quebec | Polysteel Atlantic is a rope manufacturer for the fishing industry in Nova Scotia. The objective of this project is to produce a rope below 1,700 lbs breaking strength that will meet durability and longevity requirements for fisheries. With WSGF support, they will modify their existing technology/machinery, while identifying materials and production improvements that can lead to a commercially viable, competitively priced product. | $825,000 | Low breaking strength rope/links |
| Réseau des pêcheurs professionnels du sud de la Gaspésie (RPPSG) | Gulf of St. Lawrence, Quebec | Lobster and snow crab harvesters in the southern Gaspé region are testing fishing methods aimed at reducing the risk of whale entanglement. The tests include fishing with rope-on-demand systems, and fishing for snow crab with six lines of two traps (instead of one individual trap) connected to a low tension spring release system, which reduces the number of vertical lines in the water. For the lobster fishery, several types of weak link will be tested. A project manager will monitor progress, working closely with harvesters to collect data, prepare reports, and present the results to harvesters. | $107,176 |
On-demand gear Low breaking-strength ropes/links |
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