Bycatch Reduction Devices (BRD)

All US shrimp otter trawls must be equipped with one of several Bycatch Reduction Devices (BRD) certified by the National Marine Fisheries Service to reduce the bycatch of finfish species by no less than 30%. For some BRD designs and finfish species, the reduction has been far greater. The design and testing of BRDs is the product of many years of cooperative research by the shrimp fishery in close partnership with the National Marine Fisheries Service. The Southern Shrimp Alliance works on any federal actions to update or modify these requirements as well as to ensure the U.S. shrimp fishery’s compliance with them.