A synthetic crustacean bait to stem forage fish depletion

Crustaceans, such as crab and lobster, comprise an important global food commodity. They are captured in traps using primarily forage fish (e.g. anchovies, herring, and menhaden), as bait. Approximately 18 million tons of these fish are used annually to bait traps, worldwide (U. Nations, 2014). In addition to natural predators dependent on forage fish (Pikitch et al., 2012), myriad other factors are further intensifying demand and collectively threatening stocks (e.g. Omega-3 supplements, pet food, livestock feed,–in addition to direct human consumption). Forage fish capture methods pose collateral environmental risks from by-catch (e.g. seals, dolphins, turtles) indiscriminately killed in nets. Sustainable alternatives to stem further depletion are desperately needed, and toward this end, a synthetic crustacean bait has been developed. The technology mimics molecules released from forage fish by employing a formulation that is dispersed at a controlled rate from a soluble matrix. The synthetic bait reliably caught stone crab, blue crab, and American lobster in field trials. This technology addresses major ecological threats, while providing economic and operational benefits to the crustacean fishing industry.