Utilization of Semi-Rigid Composite Lines for Whale-Entanglement-Safe Aquaculture Farms

Semi-rigid fiberglass/vinylester composite lines are being investigated as a substitution of traditional synthetic lines in offshore aquaculture mooring systems in an effort to prevent or mitigate large marine mammal entanglement. This paper briefly outlines a comprehensive set of field studies, laboratory tests, and numerical approaches utilized in the project. One of the laboratory studies investigating full-scale interaction of a composite line with North Atlantic Right Whale appendages is presented in detail. It is shown that in the case of such interaction the whale will likely break the line and avoid entanglement.