French scientists are developing bio-inspired acoustic beacons that can "speak" to dolphins, warning them of fishing nets and reducing accidental deaths of these marine mammals along the Bay of Biscay.
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00:00Since 2016, we have observed a very large number of failed dolphins,
00:04most of which have traces of fishing nets.
00:10In fact, they find themselves captured inside, they die suffocated,
00:13since in fact they do not manage to unleash themselves once they are captured in these nets.
00:23Why are traditional acoustic repulsives not effective?
00:26The signals they emit are not directly linked to the dolphin's communication system.
00:31It is more of random signals to try to disturb their sonar and move them away.
00:36What is the peculiarity of your new repulsive?
00:39The Dolphin Free acoustic beacon emits a bio-inspired signal
00:42that allows to transmit a signal directly understood by the dolphins
00:46to inform them of the presence of the net and the risk of associated mortality.
00:50At the reception of this signal, the dolphins communicate much more with each other,
00:54they will be much more eco-localized,
00:56that is to say, use their sonar to try to detect the presence of a situation,
01:00a danger, especially of the fishing net.
01:02And they will then quietly move away from the emission zone
01:05and therefore avoid the presence of the net.