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title: "The Fifth WWF Smart Gear Competition to reduce fisheries bycatch calls for entries"
---

# The Fifth WWF Smart Gear Competition to reduce fisheries bycatch calls for entries

The World Wide Fund for Nature ([WWF](http://wwf.panda.org/)) has announced the launch of its **2011 International Smart Gear Competition** to find innovative ways to reduce the amount of fisheries bycatch.

 Open to anyone from fishers to backyard inventors and students, the competition is open from 1 March to 31 August 2011 ([click here](http://www.smartgear.org/)).

 The competition aims to identify real-world fishing solutions that allow fishers to fish smarter while helping to maintain ocean health, including by reducing the bycatch of seabirds such as ACAP-listed albatrosses and petrels.

 The 2011 International Smart Gear Competition is offering a grand prize of US$ 30 000 and two US$ 10 000 runner-up prizes.  Additionally, in partnership with the [International Seafood Sustainability Foundation](http://iss-foundation.org/), the competition is offering a US$ 7500 special tuna prize that will be awarded to the idea that will reduce the amount of bycatch found in tuna fisheries.

 ![](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Mitigation/Fact_Sheet_04_Fig2.jpg)

 Initiated in 2004, the biennial WWF International Smart Gear Competition is taking place for the fifth time.

 [Click here](http://www.smartgear.org/smartgear_winners/) to view the previous winners of the competition.  The [2009 grand prize](http://www.smartgear.org/smartgear_winners/2009/grand_prize_winner_2009/) was awarded for the design of an underwater-baited hook designed to reduce the mortality of seabirds (including ACAP-listed species of albatrosses and petrels).

 *John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 25 March 2011*