Sustainability of the C Bud versus traditional draggers

Using The C Bud

As we understand the survival and damage rate by using traditional bottom dredging/ bottom scraping (traditional scrapes) is relatively high compared to using the C Bud, where tests shows that damage to the species is far lower.
The bycatch is more or less undamaged when harvested by using the C Bud compared to using traditional methods such as bottom dredging/bottom scraping.
There seems to be far less bycatch by using the C Bud than by scraping.
The C Bud leaves small footprint on the seabed and has a minimal impact on the seabed, compared to traditional scraping gear, which makes a very large impact in the seabed and the habitat.
The catch rate pr hour is just as high as using traditional bottom scraping gear.
More fresh sale of scallops rather than just using the muscle and freeze this for sale, due to relatively high damage on the harvest (They are today using larger trawling vessels with traditional. scrapes as harvesting gear.)
By using the C Bud, the catch are being sorted our on the seabed, and sorted out on deck and put back in the sea where they are harvested.
The C Bud are adjustable for optimal catch and minimal bycatch.
By using traditional bottom dredging gear, there is emission of Co2 from the seabed due to the traditional gear is scraping into the seabed and releases Co2 stored in the seabed. By using the C Bud, the emissions of Co2 will most likely be hugely reduced.
By using the C Bud one can expect to reduce vessel fuel consumption and emissions compared to using traditional methods where the speed and power needed to keep the efficiency of the harvesting process, is higher compared to same vessel moving about much slower or even lies still when the C Bud is operating.

Using traditional dragging methods

Damage or change to structural biotic and abiotic communities.
Changes in seafloor structure and habitat
Greater impacts on soft bottoms than on hard but longer recovery/duration times on hard bottoms than soft.
Dredges and bottom trawls were considered to be the most damaging to benthic populations, communities, and habitats per unit of effort.
Change the relative abundance of benthic species and hence can alter the composition of benthic communities.
Decrease the abundance of long-lived species with low turnover rates.
Increase the abundance of short-lived species with high turnover rates.
Bottom trawl gears currently used affect populations of surface-living species more often and to greater extents than populations of burrowing species.
Mobile bottom-contacting gears may have sublethal effects (i.e. injury, exposure) on individuals of benthic populations. These effects may increase the vulnerability of these individuals to other sources of mortality or lower their fitness.
The abundance of scavengers that feed on the surface of the seafloor may increase temporarily in areas where a mobile bottom-impacting gear has passed, and these increases may persist for days to possibly weeks. When areas are impacted repeatedly over several years, the increased presence of scavengers in the community can become a persistent feature of the community.
Rates of sedimentation are increased temporarily in areas where mobile bottom-contacting gears have been used. Rates of nutrient cycling may be changed, but the change can be in either direction, depending on the nature of the habitat and disturbance.

Articles on using traditional harvesting gear

In fact, scallop dredging is known to pretty inefficient. Many scallops are missed as the dredges bounce along, many are also fatally damaged as dredge teeth coming down hard smash through the shell leaving them broken on the seabed for scavengers to feed on.

Getting to the Bottom of Trawling’s Carbon Emissions

Trawling seabeds makes climate change worse

Report highlights urgent need to end bottom trawling

Traditional dragging impact

Scallop Dredging and its effects on catch and habitat

Minimal impact

Invasive Species