Optipêche: Catching only the best to avoid rejecting the rest
THEME 4: MARINE BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES –FISHING AND FISH FARMING
As those in the fishing industry are well aware, the economic development strategy governing their activities is currently undergoing change. Everything from the cost of fuel to the reduction in fish stocks is increasing the drive for quality not quantity. Opting to combine skills can lead to innovation and thereby aid sustainable development and stock conservation in the fishing industry. Optipêche is taking just such a gamble by bringing together long-established companies working on trawling techniques and other younger businesses at the cutting edge of detection technology.
Bearing in mind the financial constraints of trawler owners, Optipêche is offering to instal prow-mounted multi-beam sonar equipment capable of detecting fish and of transmitting profiles of the seabed in order to ensure the safety and efficiency of each trawl.
Such innovative fishing equipment will improve the quality of produce landed and will alleviate the gruelling nature of the work, as well as reduce the impact on the seabed. A collection of acoustic and current-measuring sonar equipment installed on the trawler and panels controls the geometry, depth and tension of nets. The equipment makes it possible to trawl selectively and to keep duration on and contact with the seabed to a minimum. An acoustic system repels cetaceans.
As well as being of interest to the 6 000 trawlers working in the French fishing industry, Optipêche is aimed at those in the industry working under similar financial constraints elsewhere.
OPTIPECHE PROJECT PARTNERS
Companies
- IXTrawl in Pont l’Abbé, responsible overall for the project and for the “trawling instrumentation”, is the leading French manufacturer of electronic undersea acoustic equipment for the fishing industry.
- iXSea in Brest is responsible for the “multi-beam sonar” element of the project. A world leader in positioning and imaging systems for the maritime sector and technology pioneer for such equipment as the fibre-optic gyroscope, iXSea has several subsidiaries in Europe, Asia and North America.
- SODENA in Vitry sur Seine specialises in bathymetry data acquisition software. It equips several thousand fishing boats with ECS (Electronic Chart System) marine geographical information systems, with 70% of its sales abroad.
- Morgère in Saint-Malo has, for the last hundred years, been a world leader in the manufacture of trawler panels which it distributes worldwide.
- Le Drezen in Lechiagat-Le Guilvinec specialises in the manufacture of nets and is a major supplier in France and abroad. It is committed to adapting its products to technical developments in fishing.
Research centres
- IFREMER in Brest is responsible for the “fishing gear” element of the project and in particular for the task of developing the ocean’s resources and enabling their sustainable exploitation.
- ENSIETA, a selective HE establishment in Brest, trains civil and military engineers in the design of principally electronic, IT, mechanical and pyrotechnic systems, with the option of focusing on marine science and technology.
- ENSTB, based in Brest and Rennes, is an engineering institute and international research centre in information science and technology. It works in particular on innovative systems for monitoring and characterising fishing resources and activities.
- IMP, the Institut maritime de prevention (Maritime Institute for the Prevention of Accidents) in Lorient is responsible for risk control in the maritime professions and for improving the working and living conditions of seamen.
Contacts - jean.boucher@pole-mer-bretagne.com
- rachel.sellin@pole-mer-bretagne.com
