The numbers of fish and other ocean life have dropped dramatically in the past few decades. That’s because of ___1___, and something called bycatch.
More than 300 thousand small whales, dolphins and porpoises die due to commercial fishing each year.
And more than 250 thousand ___2___ sea turtles are killed on longlines set for tuna, swordfish, and other fish.
So here’s a ___3___ for any inventors out there: Create new fishing gear to reduce bycatch. Top prize? Thirty thousand dollars.
It’s the fifth International Smart Gear Competition sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund.
“The Eliminator," a fishing net, was a winner in 2007, designed to reduce bycatch of cod in the haddock fishery.
The Eliminator ___4___. It has large openings at the bottom of the net. Because when haddock face a net, they swim up to escape and get caught. But other groundfish, like cod, swim down to try to ___5___. So the cod can escape through the openings at the bottom.
The Eliminator is now being used in New England and in Europe.
The current competition is open from March 1 through August 31. So get your net ready, and cast your ideas.
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