WWF's International Smart Gear Competition - 2006 Winners

Grand Prize Winner ($25,000) - DETERRING SHARKS WITH MAGNETS

Michael M. Herrmann with a lemon shark in the Bahamas, SharkDefense LLC. Winner of the 2006 Smartgear Grand Prize.

Michael Herrmann, United States

Mr. Herrmann's winning entry proposes a solution to reduce the bycatch of sharks on longlines, which has driven some shark species to the brink of extinction. Mr. Herrmann proposes taking advantage of sharks' unique biology in order to deter them from taking the bait of tempting hooks. Read more>>

Runner-Up Prize Winner 1 ($5,000) - THE FLYING BOTTLEBRUSH (aka CAREFREE'S CUNNING CONTRAPTION)

Chris Carey, New Zealand

Mr. Carey designed a device that attaches to the trawl warps (the cables that pull the nets through the water) in order to reduce the number of seabirds being killed or injured during trawl fishing. Skipper Carey's goal was to make the warp lines and the area around them highly visible so that sea birds will be able to see them even in the midst of a feathery feeding frenzy. Read more>>

Runner-Up Prize Winner 2 ($5,000) - THE FLEXI-GRID (aka THE FISH FILTER)

Kristian Zachariassen, Faroe Islands

Mr. Zachariassen developed a flexible sorting grid built out of tubes and ropes. Inside a trawl net, the grid sorts the targeted fish from the unwanted fish and allows unwanted fish to safely exit the net. Bycatch larger than the targeted species can swim out of an opening in front of the grid rather than being herded into the cod end and kept. Read more>>

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