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A future idea would be to use implement GPS tags in nets and other fishing gear that , which would emit a unique signal that can be tracked by an automated server. Ships would also have a unique GPS tag that can be matched together with their equipment; boats that don't pass inspection (i.e. use the right equipment in the right areas such as no trawling areas) would be red flagged by the automated system, which then eliminates the need for human operators and makes the enforcement aspect more efficient. This can also track ships that fish in no-take closed areas. In order to track the number of hours a ship's equipment is in the water, a speed coach propeller, or other mobile equipment which spin as water passes, could be put on nets and track the speed and time for which the equipment is pulled. Hours in the water could also be tracked by a resistance meter that can sense when it is in water because the resistance of the water is much less than of air so as the meter dries, resulting in a drop in resistance reading.
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The time frame must be large enough to allow fishermen to replace their equipment whenever is most convenient for them (i.e. , when they would naturally need to replace it), but small enough to leave very little time for inaction and to encourage countries to be proactive in their conversions. An extension can be added if it is needed on a case by case basis in order to meet the deadline.
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The most effective means of managing ocean fisheries long-term will be regulations. Ideally, regulations would occur before fish are caught rather than after. For example, regulation should regulate net specify net drag speed and net mesh size rather than enforcing quotas, which only encourage fishermen to throw fish exceeding the weight limit away. Regulation would be most effective if the two are combined.
Bottom trawling should not be allowed in communities deeper than a certain depth because deep ocean habitats recover much more slowly whereas very shallow areas that are used to storms, and other factors which affect the bottom habitat, show little or no damage in the succeeding months after trawling has taken place. More research is needed in classifying sediment type according to depth or extensive underwater terrain mapping to show sediment composition so that areas that can be bottom trawled can be marked and those that cannot can also be determineddistinguished from those that cannot. Bottom trawling effects can be somewhat mitigated by these steps, but still harms harm the ocean environment and should therefore be phased out altogether as newer technology is implemented.
Regulation of where mobile gear (trawls and other similar fishing methods) and non-mobile gear (such as lines or traps) can be used and cannot be used in conjunction with the mapping of underwater terrain would also greatly limit the damage to the sea floor. Mobile gear catches gears catch greater volumes of fish, but can be much less selective than non-mobile gear. However, mobile gear is much more cost effective since more fish can be caught in less time with less effort.
For mobile gear, we should regulate at what speed nets can be dragged so as to maximize the benefit of the increased mesh size. At high speeds, fish that would normally be able to escape from the netting are trapped by the larger fish that are pressed against the end of the net. Setting a minimum mesh size that nets cannot exceed would also decrease the bycatch though , although more research is needed as to what size this minimum should be determine the minimum size for the various species being fished.
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