From Oceanus: New Buoy Could Prevent Entanglements
Oceanus recently published an article on Jim Partan and Keenan Ball's On-Call Buoy, a technology designed to prevent marine mammal entanglement in fishing lines. Ball and Partan are working with the Office for Technology Transfer (OTT) to patent the "On-Call" buoy and OTT has filed a provisional application. Learn more about the need for this technology and its ongoing development on the Oceanus site
WHOI engineers Keenan Ball (left) and Jim Partan are developing an “on-call” buoy for lobster trawls to help prevent whale entanglements. The buoy eliminates dangerous vertical lines by coiling them around a buoyant spool attached to an anchor (not shown). When released from its anchor, the buoy will unspool its line and float to the surface, so lobstermen can retrieve their trawls. (Photo by Tom Kleindinst, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)