Fish aggregating device

A fish aggregating device (FAD) is a natural or human-made structure that attracts fish and concentrates them in one place. FADs are widely used to locate and catch pelagic fish.

Pelagic fish: Fish that live in the water column rather than near the seabed or shore. Many FADs target open-water species that associate with floating objects.
Tuna purse seining: A fishing method that encircles tuna schools with a large net and closes it underneath. Purse-seine vessels use FADs to locate concentrated tuna schools.
Drifting fish aggregating device: A floating fish aggregating device that moves with currents and is commonly tracked by fishing fleets. Drifting FADs are central to industrial tuna purse-seine operations.
Tuna fisheries: Commercial and subsistence fisheries that harvest tuna species. FADs have reshaped how industrial fleets find and catch tuna.
Object-associated behavior: The tendency of some fish to gather around floating or submerged objects. This behavior explains why structures can concentrate fish without bait.
Fish aggregating device fishery: A commercial fishery that locates and catches fish associated with FADs. It is the direct fishery built around the devices.
Natural fish aggregating device: A naturally occurring object or feature, such as a log or seamount, that concentrates fish. Natural aggregators produce similar gatherings without deliberate construction.
Juvenile tuna: Young tuna that have not yet reached reproductive maturity. FAD-associated catches can include juveniles, affecting future stock productivity.
Ecological trap: A habitat choice that attracts organisms to conditions that reduce their survival or reproduction. Some FADs draw fish toward risks such as fishing pressure or debris.
FAD management: Rules and monitoring practices governing the deployment and use of fish aggregating devices. Controls address fishing effort, bycatch, and abandoned devices.

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