Drone fishing, a recent innovation employing unmanned aerial vehicles, has gained popularity among recreational anglers. South Africa, with its extensive 2,850km shoreline and approximately 400,000 marine shore-based anglers, has witnessed a surge in this practice. Concerns about its impact on fish stocks, conflict between fishing groups, and potential threats to conservation prompted a unique study approach.
Read: Bandwidth Blog & Smile 90.4FM Tech Tuesday: Google geothermal data centres
Leveraging publicly available online data, researchers observed a substantial 357% surge in global interest in drone fishing in 2016. Despite the increasing popularity, the lack of monitoring and data on this practice posed a challenge. To comprehensively investigate, the team engaged commercial drone operators, legal experts, and others to assess the economic, political, legal, ecological, and physiological implications of drone fishing.
The study highlighted the threat to species of conservation concern in South Africa and prompted recommendations for further research and monitoring. The Department of Forestry, Fisheries & the Environment responded with a public notice declaring the use of drones and electronic devices in fishing illegal under the South African Marine Living Resources Act.
Fishing drone companies faced legal challenges, leading to a court case seeking clarity on the legality of drone use in fishing. The judgment on this ongoing case will shape the future management of drone fishing in South Africa.
Gathering data during the Covid-19 pandemic, researchers utilized social media and Google Trends to track drone fishing interest. The study revealed a significant online presence, primarily in New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia. Analysis of YouTube videos indicated that while red snapper dominated in New Zealand and Australia, sharks, a conservation concern, comprised 97% of catches in South Africa.
The holistic consideration of drone fishing encompassed its impact on targeted fish, habitats, coastal zone animals, and other users. Concerns included exhaustion and disturbance for released fish, potential environmental pollution from lost tackle, and the entanglement threat to birds, marine mammals, and turtles. The study’s findings have implications for the management and regulation of drone fishing practices in South Africa.
