A multidisciplinary approach to build new designs of biodegradable Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) - Provided to FAD WG at IATTC

The present document aims at summarizing ongoing research by ISSF on the reduction of the impacts of Drifting Fish Aggregating Devices´ (DFADs) structure on the ecosystem, particularly on the use of biodegradable DFADs. ISSF is collaborating with physical oceanographers from the Insitut de Ciències del Mar (CSIC, Spain) experts in oceanic current dynamics and drifters. Specifically, we collaborate to better understand the physical behavior of DFADs in the water column in order to find a DFAD structure that aggregates tuna but also reduces presently observed large DFAD sizes and reduces the need for plastic buoys used for flotation. In this report we share information on the physical behavior of drifters, gathered from our collaboration with oceanographers, that could be helpful in the application of biodegradable DFAD structure´s construction.