By-Catch Reduction Device (BRD)

A bycatch reduction device (BRD) is a structural modification to a trawl, usually a grid or escape-window panel, that lets non-target animals exit the net while retaining the target catch. In shrimp trawls a BRD reduces finfish bycatch and works alongside the turtle excluder device (TED), which is a specialized BRD for sea turtles. The US Magnuson-Stevens Act and the import-provision rules under Section 609 require certified TEDs and BRDs in shrimp fisheries trading with the United States. Design metrics report a bycatch reduction percentage against a control net, with the aim of cutting discards without large losses of marketable catch.