An experimental trip at sea was used to evaluate the effectiveness of a first recovery gear and the success of a method of retrieving traps by grappling. The tests were carried out in November 2019 in the southwestern basin of Gaspé Harbour. It was observed that all parts of the trap, the rope, the net and the iron frame were used as a point of attachment by all parts of the recovery gear.

Ultimately, the team intends to develop equipment that will limit the impact of the recovery gear on the seabed as much as possible.

Algorithms against ocean pollution.

Researchers from the Centre Interdisciplinaire de Développement en Cartographie des Océans (CIDCO), a non-profit research center based in Rimouski, have created intelligent algorithms capable of automatically detecting fishing gear lost on the ocean floor. 

Thanks to acoustic images from high-precision sonars, these algorithms allow the identification and mapping of fishing waste such as nets, ropes, traps and other detritus dangerous for marine species. The results of the research conducted by Guillaume Labbé-Morissette and Sylvain Gautier have been published in the prestigious Journal Of Ocean Technology.

"The test campaign, which we carried out last year, enabled us to validate the efficiency of our algorithms (with a 100% recognition rate during the test phase). We look forward to the 2020 season to expand our test areas and continue training our artificial intelligence. "Jean Laflamme (Dir. CIDCO)