The Basque Government and the European Union have funded this project.
AZTI
The Basque technology center AZTI, in collaboration with the Spanish tuna industry groups OPAGAC and ANABAC, has developed technology to improve the safe release of vulnerable elasmobranchs (sharks and rays) accidentally caught in tropical tuna purse-seine fisheries.
The Bycatch Release Devices (BRDs) include release ramps, stretchers, velcro leashes, hoppers, lower-deck chutes, and sorting grids for mobulid rays, which the crew will use to release the mentioned species quickly. In addition, these low-handling tools reduce the risk to fishers and improve the chances of survival after release.
Captains and crews of the Spanish freezer tuna fleet have participated in the design of the BRDs. According to AZTI, these devices are already being used on operational vessels in tropical oceans around the world.
Among those who have provided financial support for this initiative are the Basque Government, the European Union (European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund, Next Generation EU), Spain's General Secretariat for Fisheries, and the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF).
In 2012, OPAGAC and ANABAC voluntarily introduced a Code of Good Practices that included the exclusive use of non-entangling fish aggregating devices (FADs), continuous onboard training, 100% observer coverage (physical or electronic), and best-practice protocols for the release of sharks, turtles, and rays.
"These new BRDs are a natural next step in the fleet's sustainability journey. They are practical tools that make it easier to stick to the high standards the fleet has already committed to," noted AZTI researcher Jefferson Murua.
Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) are expected to support these types of practices, helping to promote their broader adoption across purse-seine fleets worldwide.
In 2024, the Spanish tuna fleet joined the 'SelecTuna' project, which deploys over 1,500 buoys from the technology company Satlink in the three oceans where tropical tuna is fished (Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian). The project aims to optimize target species captures and improve sustainable exploitation.