FAD Technology

The implantation sites and particularly the manufacturing of the FADs are the main concerns of those who wish to accompany the sustainable development of that fishery in the Caribbean region. This page gathers the main information from scientists and cumulated experience of numerous manufacturers and users of anchored FADs. Thanks to a constant exchange of information on that very topic, the lifetime of the FADs has sensibly increased. We are inviting you to participate in this exchange by putting your FADs on line, their description (application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document FAD Description Sheet), and monitoring forms (application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document FAD Monitoring Sheet),  as well as the pictures illustrating your setting up and wear or ruptures observed.

I)    Recommandations

A) Construction of the FADs

Minimum standards must be complied with for the construction of FADs, and especially:

  • Regulatory signage for day and night navigation
  • Sufficient anchoring to avoid drifting of the FADs (destruction of underwater devices, entanglement with other FADs…)
  • A volume of the buoy (buoyancy) adapted to local conditions so that the devices remain at the surface in case of strong currents (reduction of loss of material and maintaining of fishing activity)

Furthermore, efforts must be made regarding:

  • The limitation of debris on the sea
  • Increasing the lifetime and the reduction of the construction costs of the FADs (improvement, monitoring and production of statistics of FAD loss including accidental causes of rupture).

B)   Implantation sites of the FADs

Minimum standards should be required for the implantation of FADs:

  • A preliminary declaration prior to FAD setting indicating the setting location of the device should be made to administrative services
  • The FADs must be placed at a sufficient distance from one another to avoid interactions (more than 5 nautical miles)
  • Areas of intensive navigation must be avoided

Areas where undersea cables and pipes are set must be protected from any risk of destruction by FAD anchoring systems.

II)  Main results

An assistance tool for FAD construction gathers all relevant information and calculations regarding the choice of materials, the dimensions of the components of the FADs, and their assembling. Such tool allows the production of a descriptive form of the FAD. It features elements of calculation making accurate FAD positioning easier.

Download the application/octet-stream CalculsDCP(7)anglais.xlsm to access it

III)   Works to do

The registration of the FADs on CARAFAD website will allow the establishment of statistics regarding the lifetime of the materials and of the devices once set. To do so, the registration of a descriptive form made with the assistance tool (“FADcalculation”) is necessary, as well as pictures showing the main elements of the devices.

Monitor marine currents over several years in order to know them better. Such monitoring could be performed using FADs equipped with GPS systems (see “FADcalculation”; “regional currentology” tab).

Try new materials or FAD setting techniques, particularly:

  • FAD setting without a swivel and with braided ropes
  • Use of polyester ropes

Organize workshops for fisherfolk to train them to use FAD construction and setting tools. Some of these workshops should be organized with several countries in order to encourage the exchange of experiences.

IV) Documents

Gervain P. et Diaz N. (2002). Le DCP Polka bicéphale : présentation d’un prototype de DCP ancré et premiers résultats obtenus. In application/pdf National reports and technical papers presented at the First Meeting of the WECAFC Ad Hoc Working Group on the Development of Sustainable Moored Fis.... Le Robert, Martinique, 8-11 October 2001. FAO Fisheries Report No. 683, Suppl. Rome, FAO. 2002. pp. 249-259.

Guillou Alain, Lagin Alain-Sabin, Lebeau Alain, Priour Daniel, Repecaud Michel, Reynal Lionel, Sacchi Jacques, Taquet Marc (2000). Démarche d'amélioration des DCP à la Martinique. Pêche thonière et dispositifs de concentration de poissons, Caribbean-Martinique, 15-19 Oct 1999 15-19 octobre 1999.

Lebeau Alain (2002). Le logiciel de conception et modélisation numérique d’un DCP : etat d’avancement du projet et exemples d’applications. In application/pdf National reports and technical papers presented at the First Meeting of the WECAFC Ad Hoc Working Group on the Development of Sustainable Moored Fis.... Le Robert, Martinique, 8-11 October 2001. FAO Fisheries Report No. 683, Suppl. Rome, FAO. 2002. pp. 261-272.

Lebeau A. et L. Reynal (2007). Sites d’implantation et conception des Dispositifs Concentrateurs de Poissons ancrés dans les petites Antilles. In: application/pdf Report of the Second meeting of the WECAFC Ad-hoc Working Group on the Development of Sustainable Moored Fish Aggregating Device Fishing in the Less..., Bouillante, Guadeloupe, 5-10 July 2004. FAO Fisheries Report. No 797. Rome, FAO.2007. pp. 88-96.

Reynal, L., Lagin, A. et Gervain, P. (2007). Sites d’implantation et conception des DCP ancrés en Martinique. In: application/pdf Report of the Second meeting of the WECAFC Ad-hoc Working Group on the Development of Sustainable Moored Fish Aggregating Device Fishing in the Less..., Bouillante, Guadeloupe, 5-10 July 2004. FAO Fisheries Report. No 797. Rome, FAO.2007. pp. 35-51.