My research is centered around problem solving in marine conservation.  In my case, the problem is bycatch of rockfish in prawn traps.  Rockfish are a group of species that have declined steeply in abundance due to overfishing.  Bycatch, or accidental unintentional catch of rockfish in spot prawn traps is a source of mortality that I aim to reduce or eliminate through my research.  The primary way I will achieve this is by designing new traps that keep rockfish out of prawn traps while keeping prawns in.

My program of research is occurring in three main phases.  First, I gathered pre-existing data and collected my own data about the rate at which bycatch occurs in prawn traps.  I also gathered data about the size and shape of fish that ended up as bycatch.   Second, I deployed a deep water camera to observe the traps over their full 24 hour soaks to learn more about the behavioural interactions that occur within the traps.  Third, I will be testing new trap designs in large aquariums to establish candidate traps for large scale deployment.

This is an exciting project that will directly help rockfish populations in BC recover from overfishing, and will help us learn more about the animals that live in the deep water that is inaccessible to scuba divers.