The Challenge

No one wants to hook a seabird on a fishing line. Seabird by-catch can be devastating for seabird populations & is an upsetting experience for fishing crews.

The New Zealand Department of Conservation has been working with scientists, technologists & commercial fishers with the aim to eliminate by-catch of seabirds.

ZebraTech, a Nelson-based marine technology company, approached UpShift to develop a mobile application that would revolutionise how commercial fishing operations monitor longline sink rates. The app needed to interface with ZebraTech's specialised sensors that measure how quickly fishing lines descend through the water column - critical data for reducing seabird by-catch & improving fishing efficiency.

Seabirds can only dive so far below the surface. By tuning the configuration of weights & hooks on longlines, fishing crews can move their hooks away from seabird diving depths as swiftly as possible. 

But how can fishing crews know when their hooks are safely out of the reach of seabirds?

The Solution

The "Zebratech Sink Rate App" developed by UpShift enables fishing crew to see a detailed measurement of the rate of fall & adjust their next longline accordingly. Before the development of this app these sorts of measurements would only be done a handful of times a year - now the app & sensor allows the sink rate of every line to be measured.

UpShift developed Android & iOS mobile apps that connect to the Zebratech sink sensor & can operate entirely offline in remote ocean environments. When back in internet coverage the data can be exported for review, research & planning.

The user experience is designed to be as user-friendly & intuitive as possible for busy fishing crews on rough seas. Including charts & graphs visualising the sink rate.

Not only does the app & sensor enable fishing crews to better protect seabirds, but it gives them the ability to improve their fishing efficiency based on the sink rate & depth of their longlines.

The Outcome

This project demonstrates how technology can bridge the gap between commercial fishing operations & marine conservation efforts. By making sink rate data easily accessible & actionable, the application empowers fishing crews to optimise their gear configurations for both catch efficiency & seabird protection.

The app & sensor are currently being tested & will be made available to more fishing operators as this initiative progresses.