Required FAD design and construction specification requirements to reduce the risk of entanglement of sharks, sea turtles or other species (effective 1 Jan 2020)
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Non-entangling FADs 19. To reduce the risk of entanglement of sharks, sea turtles or any other species, as from 1st January 2020, CCMs shall ensure that the design and construction of any FAD to be deployed in, or that drifts into, the WCPFC Convention Area shall comply with the following specifications:• The floating or raft part (flat or rolled structure) of the FAD can be covered or not. To the extent possible the use of mesh net should be avoided. If the FAD is covered with mesh net, it must have a stretched mesh size less than 7 cm (2.5 inches) and the mesh net must be well wrapped around the whole raft so that there is no netting hanging below the FAD when it is deployed. • The design of the underwater or hanging part (tail) of the FAD should avoid the use of mesh net. If mesh net is used, it must have a stretched mesh size of less than 7 cm (2.5 inches) or tied tightly in bundles or “sausages” with enough weight at the end to keep the netting taut down in the water column. Alternatively, a single weighted panel (less than 7 cm (2.5 inches) stretched mesh size net or solid sheet such as canvas or nylon) can be used.