A multidisciplinary approach to build new designs of biodegradable Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs)

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 Insitute de Ciències del Mar (CSIC, Spain) experts in oceanic currents´ dynamics and drifters to better understand the physical behavior of DFADs in the water column. The aim is to find a DFAD design that aggregates tuna but also (i) reduces presently observed large DFAD sizes and (ii) reduces the need for plastic buoys used for flotation. In this document, we share information on the physical behavior of drifters, gathered from our collaboration with oceanographers, that could be helpful to build new biodegradable DFAD designs by purse seine fleets; we also propose a new biodegradable DFAD design and finally we present an ongoing experiment to test the proposed design in the Western Pacific Ocean with the collaboration of Caroline Fisheries Corporation fleet and National Oceanic Resource Management Authority (NORMA, FSM) and SPC scientists.