Pinger affects fish catch efficiency and damage to bottom gill nets related to bottlenose dolphins

Published source details Buscaino G., Buffa G., Sarà G., Bellante A., Tonello A.J., Hardt F.A., Cremer M.J., Bonanno A., Cuttitta A. & Mazzola S. (2009) Pinger affects fish catch efficiency and damage to bottom gill nets related to bottlenose dolphins. Fisheries Science, 75, 537-544.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Use acoustic devices on fishing gear Action Link

Use acoustic devices on fishing gear

A controlled study in 2006 of a pelagic area in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of southern Italy (Buscaino et al. 2009) found that using acoustic devices on a fishing net resulted in higher fish catches and less net damage, likely due to reduced predation by common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus. A fishing net with acoustic devices attached had higher average fish catches (5.2 kg/h) and fewer small holes (0.8 holes/50 m) than a net without acoustic devices (4.1 kg/h; 1.2 holes/50 m). Two identical gill nets (900 m long x 2.2 m deep) were deployed on the ocean bottom; one with four evenly spaced acoustic devices attached and one without. Acoustic devices (STM and SEAMed model DDD02) emitted 6-second signals at random intervals with a frequency range of 0.1–150 kHz. Researchers on board the fishing vessel recorded the presence of dolphins and fish catches in each net during 29 hauls in spring 2006. Small holes (<20 cm) were counted in both nets at the end of the experiment.

(Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)