SharkGuard

THE PROBLEM

An estimated 20 million sharks are unintentionally caught in fisheries each year, and pelagic longlining for tuna and bill fish are known to have particularly high bycatch rates. Certain species are more vulnerable to bycatch in longline fisheries, with blue sharks, hammerheads, oceanic white tips, makos and threshers declining by 71% over the last half century.

THE IDEA

Sharks and tuna feed on similar prey and are often found in the same ocean habitats. However, there is a crucial difference between the two that can be harnessed: detection and hunting of prey. Sharks primarily sense their prey using organs acutely sensitive to electrical fields, known as ampullae of Lorenzini. The Shark Guard, sitting just above the hook of the longline, creates powerful, short-range, three-dimensional electric pulses deterring sharks from approaching the bait. Tuna, relying on sight and smell to detect prey, experience no such deterrent.

TIMELINE

2017

Conceptualisation and development of the first SharkGuard prototype (Mk1). Initial field trials are carried out in the sea off the coast of Cornwall. Our video shows a clear behavioural impact.

2018

Testing of the SharkGuard Mk2 takes place in the Mediterranean, building on insights from the Mk1 trials and refining the pulse delivery mechanism

2020

Mk3 evolves into Mk4 with improved software and engineering designed to improve reliability and useability.

2021

Working in collaboration with SATHOAN from the port of Sète our trials lead to a 91% reduction in shark bycatch and a 71% reduction in ray bycatch.

2022

Fishtek Marine commissions a global fisheries review to identify locations with high Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) for tuna and a high Bycatch Per Unit Effort (BPUE) for sharks. New Caledonia in the east Pacific is selected as the optimum location for us to evaluate the impact of SharkGuard.

2023

First trials start in New Caledonia to assess whether shark bycatch is reduced, and tuna catch remains unaffected.

2024

Induction charged hook setting bin is developed for Mark V to be trialled for a second season in New Caledonia

2025

Mk 5 prototype is developed, incorporating findings from Mediterranean and Pacific. This most recent version is miniaturised, made from oxidation resistant materials, camouflaged and integrated into a new custom designed setting bin for 340 induction-charged hooks.

AMBITION

Our initial ambition is for SharkGuard to be used in all pelagic longline tuna fisheries, where it can have an immediate impact on protecting shark populations. We are already exploring opportunities for SharkGuard to be used in demersal longline fisheries globally.

POTENTIAL IMPACT

The numbers of sharks caught as bycatch on pelagic longlines is huge, with estimates between 20 to 50 million. If we can reduce bycatch by 80%, as evidenced in our 2021 trial, this would transform the prospects for many pelagic shark species.

FUNDING

The prototype development and first trials were funded by Innovate UK. The development of our induction charged prototypes and our research trials have been supported by two foundations in the USA: Schmidt Marine Technology Foundation and an anonymous foundation. These organisations have been instrumental in helping us realise this opportunity to develop a new technology that could transform shark bycatch globally.  

FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS

We are exploring potential for SharkGuard to be used within Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) to prevent sharks becoming entrapped in encircling purse-seine nets. Trials are also being planned to trial SharkGuard in demersal longlines in the Azores that will reduce bycatch of many rare deep water species such as the Greenland Shark.

When we revealed the results from our first trials in 2022, we had huge interest from recreational anglers asking us whether they could use the device to reduce the numbers of fish they were losing to sharks. We responded and designed the SharkGuard sport, a product that is designed to be sent down a line once a fish is hooked. This product will help reduce the potential of unhealthy interactions between anglers and sharks.

Fishtek Marine Sport