THE GEAR 2022

Why Do Fishers Choose Ropeless?

There are a number of reasons why someone might choose “ropeless” fishing devices. Many fishers experience excessive gear loss due to environmental factors, such as current, weather, waves, wind, and tide. These can be combined with heavy vessel traffic, increasing the potential for buoy and endline loss. poaching or “cutting” OF lines also occurS.

All of these factors create unintended marine debris.

STATUS QUO- TRADITIONAL POT/TRAP FISHING WITH ENDLINES AND BUOYS.


These devices remove line entirely or store it at depth with your traps

“ropeless” Gear as of April 2022


Credit: Annika Toth and Kim Sawicki, 2020.