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The effect of long-term use on the catch efficiency of biodegradable gillnets
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Researchers tested biodegradable gillnets over three fishing seasons and found they caught up to 47% fewer fish than standard nylon nets as they degraded faster over time. Despite lower catch efficiency, biodegradable nets could significantly reduce plastic pollution from lost fishing gear in the ocean.
The effect of long-term use on the catch efficiency of biodegradable gillnets was investigated during commercial fishing trials and in controlled lab aging tests. The relative catch efficiency between biodegradable and nylon gillnets was evaluated over three consecutive fishing seasons for Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in Norway. The biodegradable gillnets progressively lost catch efficiency over time, as they caught 18.4%, 40.2%, and 47.4% fewer fish than the nylon gillnets during the first, second, and third season, respectively. A 1000-hour aging test revealed that both materials began to degrade after just 200 h and that biodegradable gillnets degraded faster than the nylon gillnets. Infrared spectroscopy revealed that the chemical structure of the biodegradable polymer changed more than the nylon. Although less catch efficient than nylon gillnets, biodegradable gillnets have great potential for reducing both capture in lost fishing gear and plastic pollution at sea, which are major problems in fisheries worldwide.
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Biodegradable fishing gears: A potential solution to ghost fishing and marine plastic pollution
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Researchers evaluated biodegradable materials as alternatives to conventional nylon fishing gear to reduce ghost fishing and marine plastic pollution. They found that biodegradable nets caught fish at comparable rates but broke down much faster in ocean conditions, significantly reducing their long-term environmental impact. The study suggests that switching to biodegradable fishing gear could meaningfully reduce marine litter and the ongoing harm caused by lost or abandoned nets.
Fishing efficiency of biodegradable PBSAT gillnets and conventional nylon gillnets used in Norwegian cod (Gadus morhua) and saithe (Pollachius virens) fisheries
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Fishing trials in Norway found that biodegradable PBSAT gillnets performed comparably to conventional nylon gillnets for catching cod and saithe. Biodegradable fishing nets represent a promising way to reduce the amount of lost gear — ghost fishing gear — that contributes to plastic pollution and microplastic generation in the ocean.
Can biodegradable materials reduce plastic pollution without decreasing catch efficiency in longline fishery?
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Researchers tested biodegradable plastic snoods as replacements for nylon in longline fisheries targeting cod and haddock, evaluating whether the eco-friendly materials could reduce marine plastic pollution from lost gear without compromising fishing performance.
Use of biodegradable gillnets for resource and marine environment conservation: assessing the potential application in Northeast Arctic cod (Gadus morhua) fisheries
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Fishing nets that get lost or abandoned in the ocean can keep trapping fish for years and break down into harmful microplastics that pollute seafood and marine ecosystems. This study tested nets made from a biodegradable plastic as a possible fix, but found they caught fewer large cod and became less effective over time, meaning more research is needed before these eco-friendly nets are ready to replace traditional ones. This matters because reducing plastic pollution in our oceans could help limit the microplastics that eventually make their way into the fish we eat.
Influence of knot strength on the mechanical performance of a biodegradable gillnet
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Researchers compared conventional nylon (PA6) gillnets to biodegradable alternative nets and found the biodegradable material lost even more strength at knots than expected from its weaker base fiber, making it less suitable as a direct replacement. Developing effective biodegradable fishing gear is important because lost or abandoned plastic nets — called ghost gear — are a major source of marine microplastic pollution.
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