Why it matters
It is one of the few tools capable of sharply reducing vertical-line exposure without eliminating access to fixed-gear fishing areas.
On-Demand Gear (Ropeless Gear)
Fishing systems that keep rope off the surface until retrieval, reducing the vertical lines that can entangle right whales.
Definition
On-demand gear replaces persistent buoy lines with systems that release a rope or flotation device only when the fisherman returns to haul the gear.
Conservation impact
NOAA’s right-whale science and management pages highlight on-demand gear as part of the pathway toward reducing entanglement risk by 2028. For lobster fisheries, the technology represents both a conservation opportunity and an operational challenge.
Quick facts
- Common nickname
- Ropeless gear
- Main purpose
- Reduce persistent vertical lines
- Adoption barrier
- Cost, interoperability, and retrieval workflow changes
Related reading
The Future of Lobster Conservation: Challenges and Solutions
American lobster conservation faces a pivotal moment: the 2026 ASMFC Benchmark Stock Assessment found the Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank stock has declined 34% since 2018 and overfishing is technically occurring, while southern New England populations remain at record lows. Here is what the science says about the challenges ahead and the conservation strategies that are working.