Dolphins don't mind hot sauce: testing the effect of gill net coating on depredation rates

Citation
Garagouni M, Avgerinou G, Minos G, Ganias K (2022) Dolphins don’t mind hot sauce: testing the effect of gill net coating on depredation rates. Marine Mammal Science 38:1691–1698. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12948
Abstract

Marine mammals have long been cited as a major source of damage to coastal fishing nets in the Mediterranean, as they take, or try to take fish caught in the gear and tear holes in it... In the present study, we trialed a depredation mitigation device, using two bottom-set gillnets coated in paints that could act as cetacean deterrents. Coating was done on our behalf by the net manufacturers by dipping the nets in vats of the test substance mixed with resin and allowing them to dry thoroughly before use. The first experimental type (spicey gear) was coated in capsaicin compounds derived from tabasco peppers, …