Brazilian Longliners to use Hookpods

It has been 3 years since our last trials in Brazil and after considering all the options and working extensively with local fishermen, the RSPB and BirdLife International are recommending that the Hookpod be tested as a replacement for current mitigation measures. Despite many other things taking place and mitigation being used, observer coverage on boats and support for fishermen, it seems to suggest the Hookpod could be the most reliable prevention of seabird bycatch in Brazil.

In order to test this and start introducing Hookpods to the wider fleet in Brazil, the RSPB and BirdLife International are sending 2400 pods, to completely fit out 2 vessels for a initial commercial trial. The remainder of the pods will be divided up between the fleet and shared amongst other fishermen to get a sense of what using the pod would be like. We are hopeful that this will lead to a level of support from the Brazilian government and, as we have seen in Brazil before and many other fisheries, that the fishermen themselves will be positive about it!