Pelagic Data Systems has become a member of the Global Ghost Gear Initiative, aiming to use its vessel-tracking technology help reduce the amount of fishing gear lost at sea. The company made the announcement earlier this week at the SeaWeb Seafood Summit in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.
PDS makes and deploys lightweight, solar-powered vessel tracking systems which it said can be useful in combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which has been shown to contribute to the accumulation of ghost gear in the world’s oceans, the company said in its press release.
The GGGI is a cross-sectoral alliance committed to resolving problems caused by abandoned or lost fishing equipment, which may cause harm to fisheries and ocean ecosystems. Every year, an estimated 640,000 tons of fishing gear is lost or abandoned in oceans, estuaries, and bays, according to GGGI.
“We are so excited to have Pelagic Data Systems, with its innovativeness and technological leadership, join the Global Ghost Gear Initiative,” Elizabeth Hogan of World Animal Protection and the GGGI, said. “The unique expertise they bring will augment the GGGI’s global efforts to mark and track lost fishing gear.”
Hogan said the fact that PDS works extensively in Southeast Asia, Africa, and throughout the Americas will be an asset to the initiative, which is planning to augment its presence in those regions.
“As a participant in the GGGI, PDS will bring valuable field experience from fisheries in Indonesia and the Pacific, which will inform and support efforts by the GGGI to address ghost fishing in upcoming projects in those regions,” the two organizations said in a statement. “[Its] technical experience will be invaluable in the current development of projects focused on the marking and tracking of fishing gear to enable gear recovery and reduce gear discards.”
Both GGGI and PDS were finalists for the 2017 SeaWeb Seafood Champion Awards. GGGI was nominated in the “Vision” category and PDS was nominated in the “Innovation” category.
