Creation & Preference-Based Testing of Sustainable Crustacean Bait Alternatives For New England Region Fisheries
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The need for sustainable fisheries bait is a longing issue that has finally surfaced in New England Fisheries. With the focus of trying to avoid increased pressure on wild fish populations in the Gulf of Maine, alternative practices have been used to subsidize the change in bait availability and price increase. Understanding how to efficiently create and utilize sustainable solutions for this recurring and ongoing problem will help strengthen the opportunities for fishermen and lobstermen, as well as benefit the lasting populations of herring and menhaden. Baitcakes and the formula to make them, will help the industry evolve with the loss of available usual bait and continue to fulfill landings and quotas required for their economic survival. Using the primary binder pectin, along with silage from repurposed fish material, and digestive enzymes found in their stomachs, cooked bait cakes can be a durable solution able to withstand ocean conditions during the soak and deteriorate at a reasonable rate with select permeability. These baits were created and tested on Large crayfish in a controlled environment to represent and replicate possible preferences of the crustaceans in comparison to the standard bait used commercially. There are many more avenues to explore when directing attention to this project and the impact it may have on New England lobster fisheries futurely.