Progress in BIOFAD project: testing designs and identify options to mitigate impacts of drifting FADs on the ecosystem

Despite currently used EU FADs designs have eliminated their entangling characteristic, these are largely made by non-biodegradable materials contributing to increase marine debris, and with other negative impacts in the ecosystem like potential FADs beaching. The IOTC, along with other tuna RFMOs, have made recommendations and published resolutions to promote reduction of the amount of synthetic marine debris by the use of natural or biodegradable materials for drifting FADs. However, there are some practical aspects that needs to be clarified for the operationalization of this type of FADs construction and effective replacement of materials. In line with this, the consortium formed by AZTI, IRD and IEO aims through the Specific Contract N0 07 under the Framework Contract EASME/EMFF/2016/008 provisions of Scientific Advice for Fisheries Beyond EU Waters to address current impediments and to provide solutions that shall support the implementation of non-entangling and biodegradable FADs in the IOTC Convention Area. This project will count on the whole EU purse seine tropical tuna fishery and recently Korean purse seine fleet has joined the project. The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation is also actively collaborating. The project has the following main objectives: (1) to test the use of specific biodegradable materials and designs for the construction of drifting FADs in natural environmental conditions; (2) to identify options to mitigate drifting FADs impacts on the ecosystem; and (3) to assess the socio-economic viability of the use of biodegradable FADs in the Purse Seine tropical tuna fishery. The methodology applied during at sea experimental operations was defined by the Consortium with the agreement of the collaborators. At present, 361 BIOFADs have been deployed and this activity will continue until June 2019. The results of this contract will create fruitful discussions and provide solutions that shall support and help IOTC defining the process of the implementation of non-entangling and biodegradable FADs.