FAD (Fish Aggregating Device)

A fish aggregating device is a floating object, anchored or drifting, that concentrates pelagic fish beneath it so purse seiners can set on the school. Drifting FADs with satellite buoys now account for a large share of tropical tuna catch, but they also raise the bycatch of juvenile bigeye and yellowfin and of non-target species, and lost FADs become marine litter. Tuna RFMOs cap active-FAD numbers per vessel and impose FAD-set closures to limit juvenile mortality.