Fishtek Marine

22/05/2026

The U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act isn’t just a national conservation law, it’s a powerful force that shapes global seafood trade. 🌊

The act was first passed as a protection measure for populations of marine mammals that were endangered as a result of human activities. Since January of this year, its influence has grown to reach far beyond U.S. waters. 🐋🐬

The act requires fisheries worldwide to improve monitoring, reduce risk to cetaceans, and document sustainable practices, by linking the U.S. market access to bycatch mitigation. With the U.S. importing around 80% of its seafood, these requirements shape global supply chains. 🐟

As a result, the MMPA functions not only as a conservation law, but also a key facet that pushes global fisheries towards sustainability. 🌎

More on the new Imports Regulation in the next post…

21/05/2026

Our low-impact fishery is now moving up north!

🌊 Check out our latest in The Skipper: https://theskipper.ie/scallop-potting-from-cornish-breakthrough-to-scottish-opportunity/

Special mention to Pete Haskins at Seafood for his insights on his experiences in the Southwest – thank you! 🩵

Explore scallop potting: from a breakthrough in Cornwall to new opportunities in Scotland's fishing industry.

15/05/2026

A huge thank you to everyone who came to see us at the Skipper Expos last week! It was great to put so many faces to names and have some fascinating conversations throughout the event.

Following on from the expo, we stayed up in Scotland with distributors and local fishermen, discussing what scallop potting could look like in different areas, and seeing the interest continue to grow.

Despite uncertainties in places, scallop potting is continuing to show real promise up north. Fishermen are adapting to different conditions compared to down south, including the longer daylight hours, and as the days get longer, many are seeing better results shifting their gear deep.

It’s not the easiest pot fishery to master, but when it comes together, the rewards are worth it!

We’re incredibly grateful to all the fishermen feeding information back to us, and to our distributors who are doing a fantastic job helping to push this method forward, putting scallop potting on the map.

If you’d like to find out more, give us a ring or get in touch with one of our distributors (Slide 4) – we’d be more than happy to chat!

Images: Blue Lobster Fishing Ltd and West Coast Creels

07/05/2026

Discoscallops have been a popular choice for scallop fishermen in the Southwest, with hundreds of pots currently in use. Now, scallop potting has been identified as an upcoming fishery in waters up North.

Scallop potting in Scottish waters shows great potential, but every coastline is different.

At Fishtek Marine, we believe the fishermen at the heart of finding out what works. 🌊

Curious? Find out more at www.fishtekmarine.com 👈

02/05/2026

World Tuna Day is a reminder of our shared responsibility to protect ocean health. 🌎

As global fisheries work to balance productivity with sustainability, proven bycatch‑reduction technologies like our SharkGuard are helping tuna fisheries reduce their environmental impact and support long‑term sustainability goals. 🦈

At Fishtek Marine, we remain committed to protecting our oceans through innovative, science‑driven solutions. 🌊

29/04/2026

One week to go!

📍Come find us at stall G5 on 7th-8th May.

See you there! 🌊

28/04/2026

Our Banana Pinger technology is proving that bycatch avoidance isn’t just for industrial fleets.

Across Southeast Asia, small‑scale and artisanal fishers are reducing dolphin bycatch, safeguarding endangered species, and improving their catches and incomes at the same time.🐬

A clear win for conservation, compliance, and coastal livelihoods. 🌊

Check it out:

22/04/2026

Happy Earth Day! 🌍

Today we reaffirm our commitment to protecting the vital species that keep our oceans and rivers alive. Our various bycatch mitigation technologies help reduce unintended wildlife capture in fisheries, supporting health ecosystems for future generations to come! 🌊

At Fishtek Marine, Earth Day isn’t a once-a-year focus, it’s the purpose that drives our work every day. 🩵

01/04/2026

Last month, scallop fishermen, NGOs, scientists, marine managers, and the seafood sector came together at to discuss the future of scallop potting in the UK. Together, we identified key opportunities, barriers, and the action needed to build a well-supported, well-represented and scientifically grounded fishery.

The outcome: a coordinated push to grow scallop potting from a niche method to a recognised sector - with new research priorities, clearer pathways to prioritised grounds, and a network to give pot fishermen a stronger voice in policy. 🌊

With plans now in motion, the sector is taking meaningful steps towards making non-destructive fisheries the norm, building momentum for sustainable growth and a brighter future for scallop potting. 🩵

💡Read more about the workshop here: https://www.mba.ac.uk/shaping-the-future-of-sustainable-scallop-potting/

18/02/2026

Rivers are lifelines for millions around the world with them also being home to several of the most remarkable, critically endangered river dolphin species. In Asia, these species survive in small, fragmented populations, facing serious threats from accidental entanglement in fishing gear, including the Indus River dolphin (Platanista minor) in Pakistan. 🌏

Through WWF’s Global River Dolphin Rivers Initiative, pinger trials across Asia and South America are helping reduce bycatch. Results show dolphins move away when pingers are active and return when they are switched off, preventing bycatch without displacing them from their habitat. 🐬

Importantly, trials have also shown benefits for fishing communities, with catches improving in some cases by up to 50%, and no changes required to existing practices. 🌊

At Fishtek Marine, we’re proud to support WWF with adaptable, science-based technology tailored to each river system. Protecting river dolphins means protecting rivers — for both wildlife and the communities who depend on them. 🩵

📷: WWF Pakistan & Nyal Mueenuddin

13/02/2026

Since 2018, we’ve been proud to support the incredible work of Yayasan Konservasi RASI to protect the critically endangered Mahakam River dolphin.

RASI leads this project on the ground — working closely with fishing communities along the Mahakam River, Indonesia to reduce dolphin by-catch while supporting livelihoods. Our role at Fishtek Marine has been to help provide acoustic pingers that can be attached to gillnets, offering one practical tool to reduce accidental dolphin entanglement without pushing dolphins away from the river areas they rely on 🌊

After several years of careful testing and collaboration with fishers, pingers are now in use on hundreds of nets across the dolphins’ core habitat. The results speak for themselves: fewer dolphin–net interactions, no loss of fish catch, and strong reductions in by-catch — all achieved by working with local communities, and leading researchers ✅

This project shows what’s possible when conservation organisations, fishers, and technical partners come together with a shared goal. Protecting river dolphins isn’t about one solution — it’s about listening, adapting, and building trust over time 🐬

Huge credit to the RASI team and the Mahakam fishers who make this work possible, every day. 🌍🩵