© ACAP & Birdlife International
The Brickle Curtain is a seabird deterrent device used in demersal longline fisheries to reduce the incidence of haul captures. This ‘bird curtain’ forms a protective barrier around the hauling hatch. It is composed of vertically hanging streamers supported by poles fixed to the railing above the hauling hatch. See ‘Haul mitigation’.
Note that brickle curtains have been designed and tested in demersal longline fisheries and as such, this method is not directly transferable to pelagic longline fisheries.
Effect on Other Bycatch Species
None.
Ease of Deployment and Safety
In heavy weather, the vertically hanging streamers, often weighted at the bottom, can flick up and interfere with fishers working at the hauling hatch.
Further Research
Developing methods that minimize seabird hooking during line hauling in pelagic longline fisheries remains an urgent research priority.