Acoustic devices reduce whale entanglements in Peruvian fishing nets
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Researchers from Universidad Científica del Sur de Perú and the marine protection organization Prodelphinus tested acoustic devices called pingers to protect whales in northern Peru.
The study aimed to reduce the accidental capture of large marine mammals by artisanal fishermen without harming the commercial fish species they target. The team equipped fishing nets with pingers that emit sounds at modulated frequencies ranging from 3 to 20 kHz every four seconds.
Between September 2022 and December 2023, fishing vessels deployed nets 115 times. The researchers divided these into 49 control deployments without devices and 66 test deployments with the pingers. During the 15 month period, 34 whales became trapped or broke the nets to escape. Statistical analysis showed that the pingers reduced whale entanglements by 52.9 percent.
While the researchers identified six humpback whales among the trapped animals, they could not classify the remaining 28 because the animals often fled at night or broke the nets before being recorded. The study suggests that most of these unidentified animals were likely humpback whales. The researchers noted that the devices do not reach 100 percent effectiveness because whales might become used to the sound over time.
Other factors include the physical distance between devices, which are placed every 100 meters, and potential technical issues like battery wear. Despite these limitations, the results indicate a substantial difference in safety when using the acoustic alarms.
