Climate

Googly-eyed buoys and kites help keep seabirds out of fishing nets, study finds

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 23/10/2026, 07:24:24 UTC.

Briefings

A new study in Conservation Letters found that animated eye buoys and bird-shaped kites significantly reduce seabird mortality in gillnets. In Cornwall, nets with these deterrents saw 59% to 71% lower odds of catching diving birds like razorbills and guillemots compared to standard nets. The research highlights a potential solution to a major threat where thousands of birds die annually from entanglement.

Key points

• Animated eye buoys and bird-shaped kites reduced the odds of diving seabirds catching in gillnets by 59% to 71% in Cornwall trials.
• Razorbills and guillemots are primary species affected, with thousands dying annually from entanglement in European fisheries.

Context

This study addresses a critical conservation issue where gillnets kill over 95,000 seabirds annually in the Baltic and Northeast Atlantic. The findings offer a practical, low-cost method to reduce bycatch, though the study was conducted in a single region and does not address global applicability.

Limitations

Evidence is limited to a single trial in Cornwall, UK, and does not account for long-term effects or broader regional applicability. Results are based on a 2026 study with no follow-up data provided.

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