Sometimes birds die when they get caught on a hook or in a net, or injured by fishing gear. Some devices and techniques to reduce these deaths already exist. Others are still being developed and tested.

If you have an idea for such a mitigation device or technique and want to develop it further, this resource will show you how.

Special thanks to Sanford Ltd, Solander Seafood, and Te Ohu Kaimoana for sponsoring this project.

Thanks also to the many people who contributed to the mitigation development pathway project. We will be adding additional resources and case studies to these web pages. If you have suggestions please email info@southernseabirds.org

The path to creating an effective and widely used mitigation device begins with getting clear in your mind all aspects of the issue you are working on.

Look at the fishery involved and see if there is a need from the seabird perspective - the species of birds involved and the potential significance of the issue to their populations. Then look at the sequence of events that causes these birds to be killed or injured and work out how you are going to intervene in this.

Find the fishermen and technical experts who can help you develop and refine your idea into something that is practical in a fishing situation. Once you have done this, you will need to prove to people that it works.

Scientific tests in a real fishing situation will prove how effectively your idea addresses seabird deaths and injuries in the fishery. Remember you will also need to prove to fishermen that your idea is cost-effective, safe to use, and does not affect their fish catch (including both target and bycatch fish species).

With the idea proven, you then need to decide how to produce it and how to get the fleet to use it. Getting a fleet to use seabird mitigation is often a combination of education, legislation and enforcement. In other words, the fishing fleet and relevant governance bodies may need to be involved in this phase.

To successfully negotiate all these steps, you need to have someone or some group behind the idea, constantly driving it along.

Southern Seabird Solutions has established an International Mitigation Mentoring Programme to provide feedback and advice to fishermen and other inventors on their mitigation ideas.  See the above link to learn more.