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Escape hatches
We were tasked by the fishermen of Sheilding Exports Ltd to help them develop and manufacture an escape hatch for retro-fitting to the netting on Prawn Creels. The escape hatch is fitted low down in the Creel Door to allow juvenile Prawns to escape without being brought to the surface.
When small prawns are brought to the surface and thrown back in the sea, research has shown that the prawn reaching the seabed are in a new area and have no burrow to escape to. These small prawns are then picked off by predators. The escape hatch means that these small prawns are left undisturbed on the seabed to become tomorrow's fishery. The escape hatches were significant contributors to Sheilding Exports Ltd winning the following certificates/ awards for the fishery during 2003...
1. Marine Innovation Award 2003 (sponsored by Highland Biodiversity Project, Crown Estate, Fishmongers, Co, Highland Council, Mallaig and North West Fisherman's Assn)
2. The Marine Stewardship Council Certification (Jan 2003) - the costs of which were supported by HIE and Highland Council.
The costs of the escape hatches themselves were also part funded by Ross and Cromarty Enterprise, WWF, Highland Council and Wester Ross CED.
As a result of our association with the men of Sheilding Exports Ltd, we have had enquires from as far a field as the Swedish Government, Lancaster University, Argyl and Bute Council, met with representatives from the Isle of Man Government. It's obvious that sustainable fishing is high on the agenda in many areas although it seems to be the men of Sheilding who are leading the way.
We have also worked in conjunction with a Swedish company to make a mould for an escape panel for lobster fishing in Sweden. Fitting this escape panel is mandatory in Sweden. We manufacture the escape panels for them and export them to Sweden,