Exchange Profiles

The ACADIEN CRABBERS’ ASSOCIATION is an organization representing most of the midshore snow crab fleet active in the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (Canada). Our fishery is encountering an ever-increasing presence of North Atlantic right whales on our fishing grounds and we are actively trying to adjust our fishing gear and practices to prevent harmful interactions with the whales. Through government funding and with the expertise of local and international specialists, solutions are sought through 15 subprojects related to:

• Connection between traditional Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) and Electronic Monitoring (EM) for real time transmission of data related to whale sightings and entanglements and regulatory monitoring activities;
• Integration of new and/or emerging technologies into snow crab fishing gear;
• Integration of new coding technologies for traceability of fishing gear;
• Rehabilitation of the natural infrastructure of the seabed.

Based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and incorporated in April 2018, Ashored is focused on improving the sustainability of the commercial fishery through the development of user-friendly and purpose-built innovations. Currently, Ashored is addressing issues of marine animal entanglements, derelict/ghost fishing gear, and the related challenges to the industry and governance.  

Ashored has developed a ropeless fishing system and accompanying tracking software that can be used with current industry traps/trawls. This gear sinks to the ocean floor and can be recalled to the surface using an acoustic release and time-based redundancy. Once the buoy and connecting rope surface, fishermen can use existing onboard equipment and processes to retrieve the traps and prepare for redeployment. By preventing fixed ropes from extending throughout the water column, marine life will be able to pass through fishing waters without harm and fishing ropes will no longer be susceptible to being severed by boat propellers or competitors.

Ashored’s proprietary rope containment system facilitates simple loading and resetting, and also fast, clean rope release that helps fishers minimize gear losses and prevents potential entanglements with marine animals. Ashored’s ropeless fishing systems are designed for the harshest conditions and take into account key factors prioritized by fishers.

The New England Aquarium’s BalanceBlue Lab (BBL) is going beyond research to pilot, implement, and scale solutions that support ocean industry and ocean health. By advising and partnering with businesses and decision-makers, BBL helps ensure that the blue economy—from seafood to shipping—can grow responsibly while safeguarding the ocean and all who rely on it.

The Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Resources (CSAR) is an applied research unit within the School of Fisheries at the Fisheries and Marine Institute, Memorial University. Recognized as Canada’s experts in fish capture, our team has core strengths in fishing gear design and testing, conservation engineering, fisheries biology, fish capture behaviour, and mechanical engineering. The team uses a combination of numerical simulation, physical modelling in the flume tank, and at-sea comparative fishing experiments to improve sustainable fishing practices and profitability of commercial fishing enterprises.

CPPS is an intergovernmental organization with four member countries: Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. CPPS's main objective is to coordinate maritime policies among member states. CPPS is also the technical secretary of the Regional Action Plan for the Conservation of Marine Mammals in the South Pacific (PAMM). Main activities include training, workshops, and pilot projects, to increase national capacities regarding research, conservation, and management. Marine mammal bycatch is a major threat in the region but also the most challenging conservation issue due to the extensive small scale fisheries that characterize this huge region.  

Working towards the long-term sustainability of Atlantic humpback dolphin (Sousa teuszii) populations and their habitats through research, awareness, capacity-building and action.

The CCAHD Foundation acts as an umbrella organization that brings together international conservation management bodies, cetacean scientists from around the world, and organizations and individuals in the countries where the Critically Endangered Atlantic humpback dolphin is found. The CCAHD Foundation’s aim is to promote and support research and conservation actions throughout the species’ range, and provide robust conservation advice on the Atlantic humpback dolphin. Partners include over 100 individuals and organisations from all 19 Sousa teuszii range countries as well as others with interest and experience in protecting Endangered cetaceans. A critical part of the CCAHD’s work is to support local scientists and conservation NGOs in Atlantic humpback dolphin range countries, liaise with range country governments to improve national species status, and increase within-country general awareness of the species. Achieving those goals relies on a network of local partners and national contact points in all of the confirmed and potential range countries.

EdgeTech is a leading manufacturer of underwater technology solutions.  The company is known worldwide for its high quality products that include: deep sea acoustic releases, pop-up release systems, shallow water and long life acoustic releases, side scan sonars, sub-bottom profilers, bathymetry systems, AUV and ROV-based sonar systems, combined and customized solutions.  In addition to the full line of acoustic releases and underwater survey products, EdgeTech provides reliable USBL systems, transponder beacons, MRUs and customized underwater acoustic command and control systems.

EdgeTech has been producing systems that hold down submerged lines in containers and release them to the surface by acoustic command for over 30 years. Our existing systems are used all over the world by oceanographers, and other scientists. The largest institutions in the US and internationally use our systems in the harshest marine environments.

We have developed a ropeless fishing system that eliminates vertical buoy lines in the water column until the trap is ready to be recovered. This system has been designed for use by fishermen. It can be modified in many different configurations to meet the specific requirements of fishermen.