Development of a deep-water camera system capable of deployment on fishing gear

Between 2006 and 2014, the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) undertook an extensive study into the vulnerability of benthic habitats to impact by demersal fishing gear, including otter trawl, demersal longlining and pots (Welsford et al., 2014). A major component of the study was to examine the fishing ‘footprint’ of the different gear types to determine the extent of their interaction with benthic habitats. This was comparatively easy to estimate for trawl gear, but required that the lateral movement of demersal longlines and the drag of pots be quantified. A variety of mechanical and electronic methods, including inertial sensors and drag wheels, were trialled, but ultimately it was determined that only underwater video could provide the visual evidence of movement that would satisfy critics of the study.