A new toothless dredge design called the "Newhaven" was tested in the Isle of Man queen scallop fishery, to determine it's effect on both catch and bycatch. This new dredge design caught significantly more queen scallops compared to the traditional tooth dredge. However, there was no significant difference between the abundance of bycatch between the two dredge designs. Bycatch species composition between the two dredge types was relatively similar but the "Newhaven" dredge did catch a significant number of dogfish.
Historically, the Chilean dolphin has been hunted both for food and for crab bait (Reeves et al 2008). Although cetaceans are now protected by law in Chile (Torres et al 1979), regulation enforcement is virtually nonexistent and temptation is high for impoverished fishermen to supplement their income by killing dolphins for bait (Dawson 2009; Reeves et al 2008).
The presence of permanent magnets on hook and line and inshore longline gear was tested for its ability to reduce the bycatch of sharks and rays. Neodymium-iron-boron magnets were affixed to hook and line gear and barium-ferrite magnets were attached to longline gear. Both types of fishing gear showed species specific responses but overall elasmobranch capture was significantly reduced when magnets were used.
The principal threat to the Irrawaddy dolphin throughout much of its range is accidental entanglement in gillnets (Smith et al 2007). Freshwater populations of the species are at the most risk, particularly those inhabiting the Mekong River (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Vietnam), the Mahakam River (Indonesia), the Ayeyarwaddy River (Myanmar), and lakes Chilika (India) and Songkhla (Thailand). These areas are considered high-use habitat due to their biological productivity, and there is frequently overlap between dolphin populations and gillnet fisheries (Smith et al 2006).
At-sea and on-shore trials were conducted to test the safety and effectiveness of an alternative line weight called the Safe Lead. This new line weight is designed to reduce danger to the crew in the event of a bite-off by sliding down or off the line. At-sea trials were conducted in South Africa and indicated that dangerous fly-backs, a result of a bite-off, were reduced when the Safe Lead was used. During these trials, only 4.2% of Safe Lead fly-backs reached the fishing vessel, compared to 73.3% with traditional leaded swivels.