Our technology is both the result of research and innovation that we have led and partnerships with industry and academics. In the former case we handle every aspect of design, development and testing through research projects. In other situations we respond to specific technical needs, working hand-in-hand with industry partners to provide bespoke solutions.
Select a category to the right and click through the map to learn more about our marine infrastructure projects and where our products are being used.
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Fishtek Marine has established a reputation as a company that delivers smart solutions to some of the most challenging conservation issues in fisheries and marine operations. Our goal is to develop technologies that deliver environmental objectives and mesh seamlessly with standard fishing and marine operations.
Our technology needs to meet strict design and functionality criteria if they are going to be successfully adopted within the fishing industry:
They need to be robust and able to withstand rigours of being used in some of the harshest conditions at sea
They need to be cheap, and not adding anything but a tiny percentage to the costs of operations
They need to be invisible to the operation, not adding significant time or effort to normal practice
They need to be effective and reliable in reducing impact of operations on the marine environment and bycatch of species
Trials with fishers and academic partners across the world build a strong evidence base that demonstrate that using our technology is effective at minimising marine bycatch and is a critical part of sustainable fishing and safeguards some of the world’s most threatened species.
During the development and testing stages of a new technology we will lead a carefully designed process where we will be much more directly involved in at-sea trials. We will develop the scientific protocols to ensure that the results inform device effectiveness and work closely with fishers and operators to learn at first-hand, as we work through an iterative process of testing and improving. This process can take between three and six years:
The design, development and testing of our products is a process that can last several years. It starts with an idea, often catalysed by a conversation with a fisher, a ‘what if’ that leads to conversations with academic and industry experts for us to determine the potential and the need. From here we will start on a more formalised path, pitching our idea to Government and philanthropic funders to help us raise the money to help us start out on the development process.
We lead and manage the journey from the point of developing the first prototypes, running at sea trials and building to more comprehensive tests and iterative improvements until we reach the point that we have complete confidence that a new product reduces impact; is robust and fits seamlessly into operations. At this point they stop being a development product, and become something we start to market and promote.
SHARK GUARD
SHARK GUARD
Seven years in development, we are in the final stages of a product that will reduce shark bycatch in longline fisheries.
SCALLOP POTTING
SCALLOP POTTING
Our accidental discovery that scallops were attracted to lights, led to a five year development journey for a system that could be incorporated into potting gear
ABOVE WATER DETERRANTS
ABOVE WATER DETERRANTS
We have been searching for a reliable and effective solution to reducing seabird bycatch in nets for over a decade, and are currently working on a new kite design