Light-guided technology is reshaping fishing methods.

   In recent years, the direction of innovation in fisheries technology has been shifting. More and more research institutions and technology companies are focusing on a gentler tool-light-guided technology. From luminescent traps and intelligent escape systems to light-guided fishing equipment for Antarctic krill, researchers are exploring how different wavelengths, brightness levels, and deployment methods of light can influence fish behavior.

   For a long time, the development of fisheries equipment has primarily focused on improving catch rates, while light technology attempts to address the problem from a behavioral perspective. Fish possess their own visual systems, but traditional fishing gear design often prioritizes human perception over how fish perceive the environment. In seawater, light propagation differs significantly from that in the air. Red and orange light are preferentially absorbed with increasing depth, while blue light can penetrate deeper layers. Therefore, artificial light sources can provide marine life with visual stimuli that are less common in their natural environment, thus influencing their swimming, gathering, or avoidance behaviors.

   However, different species react differently to light, and this is influenced by factors such as season, water depth, water turbidity, reproductive cycle, and stress levels. Therefore, light technology cannot achieve the same results in all fisheries. Lighting technology is often more effective in static fishing gear than in mobile gear like trawls. Trawl operations generate noise, water pressure changes, turbulence, and mechanical disturbances, causing fish to experience high stress and unpredictable behavior. In static fishing gear environments such as crab traps and bait traps, marine life can approach the gear more naturally, and the guiding effect of the light is more stable.

   In the future, the development of lighting technology will be deeply integrated with artificial intelligence, sensors, and data analysis systems. While lighting technology cannot solve all problems, it offers new possibilities for improving fishing selectivity, reducing ecological impact, and enhancing the economic benefits of fisheries