The development of selective fish harvesting technologies in Atlantic Canada

Every year new fishing gears and methods are developed to increase fishing efficiency and effectiveness. Recently, technological innovation has resulted in a variety of "selective" fishing gears which attempt target fishing based on various criteria, such as species, fish size, fish shape and specific behavioural characteristics. -- Many of these new harvesting technologies have originated directly from the harvesters themselves. This may be considered a role reversal in the way that fishing gear has traditionally been developed and managed. In the past, most research was conducted onboard government research vessels or through charters of private vessels. These initiatives were primarily designed and managed by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans at arms length involvement from industry. -- Today more research and development work is being done within cooperative arrangements in order to identify appropriate harvesting technologies and to enable government and industry to work together to achieve conservation goals. This change in approach, however, requires a more fundamental understanding of the entire process involved, including how fishing communities' approach the question of technology transfers and how this affects successful implementation of the new gear or method into the management framework. -- This paper portrays the development of selective fish harvesting technologies through examination of dedicated selectivity projects completed within a cooperative framework. By promoting significant harvester involvement in project design and implementation, the core of a successful management framework, which ultimately includes voluntary acceptance, may become more apparent. -- To illustrate the importance of a co-operative project framework, emphasis is placed on the Atlantic Canadian experience, in particular the Newfoundland region and the involvement of the smaller scale harvester in selective harvesting projects. Examples of selectivity projects are presented following a comprehensive review of the selective fish harvesting concept. This information forms the basis for a discussion on how the transfer of technology is affected by the status of the resource, cost reduction requirements, regulatory considerations, and industry acceptance. Suggestions are made regarding how acceptance of selective harvesting initiatives may be positively influenced by establishing a comprehensive project planning and implementation process