To support the effort to develop on-demand ropeless fishing as a strategy for reducing commercial fixed-gear fishery impacts on critically endangered North Atlantic right whales, we used the expert knowledge of commercial fishermen to offer potential solutions for minimizing gear conflict between fixed-gear fishermen and between fixed- and mobile-gear fishermen.

CFF staff interviewed commercial fishermen who fish in the Outer Cape Lobster Management Area (LMA), LMA2, the LMA 2/3 overlap, and LMA3 north of 40˚N latitude.

The participants, active and retired fishermen with experience in a range of fixed- and mobile-gear fisheries, were asked to share their experiences with gear conflict and gear-conflict agreements and their ideas about ways to minimize gear conflict while significantly reducing the presence of vertical lines on fishing grounds. 

The interviews highlighted concerns about the adoption of on-demand fishing and the advances in technology and gear incentives that could make the use of on-demand gear feasible.