Sweden is testing a light-guided trawl that can catch shrimp without touching the seabed.

A project funded by the EU aims to use underwater lights to lift shrimp into a smaller and lighter net. The equipment could reduce contact with the seabed, fuel consumption, and wear, but tests have not yet demonstrated whether it can maintain the necessary catches for fishermen.

Fishermen and researchers on the west coast of Sweden are testing a system that uses underwater lights to guide shrimp into a trawl held above the seabed. The project aims to keep catches at a level that allows commercial activity to continue while simultaneously reducing habitat degradation, equipment resistance in water, and fuel consumption.

In short

1. The lights placed on the fishing equipment are being tested to determine if they can make shrimp rise from the seabed and enter a net that is not dragged along the substrate.

2. The system is smaller and lighter than a conventional trawl, which could reduce resistance in water, fuel consumption, and equipment wear.

3. The prototype must be adapted to currents, visibility, water density, types of vessels, and seabed conditions on the Swedish coast.

4. Tests are still ongoing, and the project has not published data to confirm the level of catches, fuel savings, or reduction of effects on the ecosystem.

5. The initiative is being tested ahead of the entry into force, on July 1, 2026, of the Swedish general ban on bottom trawling in marine protected areas within the trawling limit.

The "Light Trawling" project aims to change the way shrimp are caught on the west coast of Sweden. Instead of the net being dragged along the seabed, multiple light sources should encourage shrimp to rise and enter a trawl above the substrate.

The method is based on the behavior of the catch, not on the mechanical contact between the equipment and the seabed. The project tests whether the intensity, position, and stability of the lights can sufficiently guide shrimp towards the net for the system to be used in commercial activity.

Conventional bottom trawling involves moving the equipment on or very close to the substrate. Contact can affect habitats, and the weight and size of the nets increase the resistance opposing the vessel during movement.

The system being tested in Sweden is smaller and lighter than conventional equipment. Keeping it above the seabed could limit the direct impact on the substrate and reduce net damage caused by friction with the seabed.

A lower resistance in water could also reduce the amount of fuel needed to tow the equipment. However, the project has not published measurements regarding fuel savings, operating costs, or the difference in wear compared to a conventional trawl.

The idea was inspired by a project in Iceland that uses light to guide catches towards the net. Swedish fisherman Sixten Söderberg contacted the Icelandic team and began to analyze together with local partners whether the method could work in Swedish waters.

The municipality of Sotenäs coordinates the project. The FF Norden fishermen's association contributes the experience of crews who need to install and use the equipment at sea, while Chalmers Industriteknik analyzes the environmental, technical, and economic components.

The Icelandic prototype cannot be transferred directly without adaptations. The conditions of the seabed, types of vessels, currents, underwater visibility, and shrimp behavior can alter the results of the system.

The team needs to determine the appropriate weight for each light unit so that it remains stable in different currents. A light that moves or is incorrectly oriented can alter the shrimp's reaction and their position relative to entering the net.

Visibility and water density influence the distance at which the light can be observed. Partners are also testing the height at which the trawl can be maintained above the seabed without the number of captured shrimp becoming insufficient.

The goal is not to eliminate the catch, as the equipment must be able to support the economic activity of fishermen. The project aims to identify a combination between reducing contact with the seabed and maintaining viable catches.

Sea tests involve repeated modifications of the prototype. Crews check how it can be launched, controlled, and retrieved, as well as its behavior during night fishing and in different weather conditions.

European funding has covered part of the risk and costs of building and testing the equipment. Partners state that the trials would not have been possible in the same form if fishermen had to bear the costs of developing the prototype themselves.

The project is being carried out during a period when Sweden is tightening the use of bottom trawling. A general ban came into effect on July 1, 2026, in marine protected areas located within the national trawling limit.

The ban and the project are not the same measure. The restriction establishes where bottom trawling can no longer be used, while the project investigates whether shrimp fishing can continue with equipment that remains above the substrate.

Available documents do not specify whether the system would be authorized in all protected areas or how it would be classified by Swedish regulations. Its future use will depend on technical results and the rules applicable to each fishing area.

Tests have not yet produced a public comparison between catches made with the light-guided system and those obtained with a conventional trawl. There are also no data on bycatch of other species or effects on organisms on the seabed.

Without these results, the benefits remain objectives of the project. A net that does not touch the substrate could reduce physical pressure on the seabed, but the actual effect depends on the stability of the equipment, the frequency of contacts, and how it is used in commercial operations.

Economic viability will depend on several factors: the quantity and quality of the catch, reduction in fuel consumption, equipment lifespan, cost of lights, and the time required for crew operation and maintenance.

The project could provide an alternative for some shrimp fishing activities if tests simultaneously confirm a reduction in impact on the seabed and maintain sufficient catches. The Commission's document does not indicate a timeline for the completion of tests or for a potential wider commercial use.

Shrimp fishing with trawls is important for some communities on the Swedish coast, where marine environmental protection measures directly influence access to traditional fishing areas. The project aims to respond to this situation by modifying the equipment, without assuming that any form of fishing can continue in any protected area.

https://2eu.brussels/ro/news/suedia-testeaza-un-traul-ghidat-de-lumina-care-poate-pescui-creveti-fara-sa-atinga-fundul-marii