Design of LED fish lighting attractors using horizontal/vertical LIDC mapping method

Area of Science:

• Marine engineering
• Fisheries technology
• Optoelectronics

Background:

• Traditional fishing light attractors often lack efficiency and can be environmentally impactful.
• Developing advanced lighting solutions is crucial for optimizing fishing operations and reducing operational costs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate high-brightness light-emitting diode (HB-LED) fishing light arrays as a replacement for conventional attractors.
• To create a non-axisymmetric lens for HB-LEDs that produces a specific fish-attracting light pattern.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a sub-module concept for HB-LED array development.
• Mapped the horizontal/vertical (H/V) plane light intensity distribution curve (LIDC) of LED light sources.
• Designed a non-axisymmetric lens to achieve a desired light pattern for fish attraction.
• Conducted a one-year field test on three CT2 boats off the coast of Taiwan.

Main Results:

• HB-LED arrays illuminated a 5 x 12 m sea surface with 2000 lx illuminance at 5 m height.
• Mean fish catch increased by 5% to 27% across the three test boats.
• Fuel consumption decreased by 15% to 17% compared to conventional methods.

Conclusions:

• HB-LED fishing light arrays are effective in attracting fish and improving catch rates.
• The developed LED arrays offer significant fuel savings, contributing to operational efficiency and sustainability.
• This technology presents a viable and improved alternative for modern commercial fishing practices.