Degradable Metal Latch for Lobster Trap Bycatch Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Derelict traps in trap-based fisheries, such as lobster and stone crab traps, continue to capture and kill marine animals after being lost, causing environmental damage and financial losses, as existing solutions like marine debris removal programs are costly and ineffective.
Innovation Solution
A trap accessory that includes a degradable metal latch and recovery buoy system, which automatically releases after a predetermined time in the aquatic environment, creating an escape slot for trapped animals and allowing the buoy to float to the surface for trap location and recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traps remain intact in the marine environment, then they continue to fish and capture lobsters, but they also continue to entangle and kill marine animals as bycatch through ghost fishing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-installing degradable attachment components on traps before deployment. These components are designed to degrade over a predetermined time period, automatically disabling the trap and creating escape gaps. This preliminary preparation ensures that traps stop functioning after a specific duration, preventing ghost fishing bycatch while maintaining reliability during the intended fishing period.
2Ease of manufacture
If traps are lost due to storms, boat props, vandalism, or abandonment, then they become derelict and cause environmental damage, but fishers need to recover them for economic reasons
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an intermediary approach by attaching a recovery buoy to the trap through degradable components. The buoy serves as a mediator that provides visible location indication and facilitates trap recovery. When the degradable attachment fails, the buoy detaches and floats to the surface, allowing fishers to locate and recover the trap. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining trap durability while enabling location tracking and recovery.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If marine debris removal programs are implemented, then derelict traps are removed from the environment, but the approach is expensive and has limited effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by designing traps with built-in degradable components that automatically disable the trap after a predetermined time. This self-disabling mechanism eliminates the need for expensive external removal programs. The trap serves itself by automatically creating escape gaps through degradation of attachment components, thereby reducing marine debris impact without requiring continuous external intervention or financial investment in removal operations.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If escape gaps or cull rings are installed to reduce bycatch mortality, then sub-legal lobsters can escape, but larger species caught in lost traps are not protected and the option is untenable in Florida's spiny lobster fishery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by using degradable attachment components that change their properties over time. The attachments are strong initially to maintain trap functionality and prevent escape, then gradually degrade to create escape gaps. This dynamic approach allows the trap to adapt its functionality - starting with full containment and transitioning to partial escape - thereby reducing bycatch mortality while remaining compatible with the spiny lobster fishery's need to retain all captured animals during the active fishing period.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Reduces bycatch and increases trap recovery rates, improving the sustainability and productivity of coastal fisheries by disabling derelict traps and providing a visible indication for their location.
Implementation Method 1
The attachment component can comprise one or more degradable metals that degrade or deteriorate in an aquatic environment
Implementation Method 2
The released recovery buoy can float to the water surface while pulling the buoy line from the buoy line canister
Data Source
AI summary
A trap accessory for attachment to a marine trap that facilitates release of by-catch. A buoyant recovery buoy is operably attached to a trap frame secured to the marine trap. Components for operably attaching the recovery buoy to the trap frame include a latch and attachment components, of which at least one of these components is a Degradable Metal (DM). The DM maintains the integrity of the trap and trap accessory for a pre-determined time, typically 1 year or less. When one or more of the DM components are sufficiently degraded, the recovery buoy is released to open a slot through which animals can escape. A buoy line connected to the trap frame maintains connection between the marine trap and the recovery buoy, which assists in recovery of the marine trap.