SFACT submission: Evidence that shows that biodegradability of FADs is achievable

Through this paper, SFACT summarizes the opportunity for purse seine fleets to reduce the impacts that their drifting Fish Aggregating Devices (dFADs) are having on marine ecosystems by constructing these devices using biodegradable materials. Fishers operating in open ocean areas have long known that fish congregate around natural debris and flotsam, such as tree stumps and other natural materials. Natural flotsam historically served the role of dFADs before the purse seine tuna fishing industry commercialized dFAD production and deployment to improve the efficiency of their fishing operations. In doing so, they started using more synthetic materials in dFAD designs as a means of minimizing dFAD costs, promoting their durability and providing a means of reusing their old nets.