The International Smart Gear Competition

Enter your design for smarter fishing gear and be eligible for the $25,000 grand prize, as well as help in bringing your design to market. We're looking for practical, cost-effective solutions that reduce the incidental catch of sea turtles, cetaceans, fish bycatch and other non-target species in either fixed gear or nets.

Oftentimes, conventional fishing gear doesn't allow users to selectively target their catch. As a result, non-target species like sharks, salmon, halibut, marine mammals, sea birds and sea turtles are accidentally caught and sometimes killed. And fishermen waste time and money dealing with damaged gear and inefficient fishing methods.

The International Smart Gear Competition brings together scientists and fishermen to solve these problems collaboratively, by marshalling the creativity and ingenuity of the fishing industry, gear technologists and others.

Responsible fisheries management requires collaborative approaches to address the limitations of gear technology and the problem of bycatch; the International Smart Gear Competition is designed to stimulate voluntary, market-based solutions to the problem. Finding ways to fish smarter, and fish safer, is a win-win proposition for fishermen, fish stocks, and our marine ecosystems.