Royal College of Art graduate Dan Watson has won the UK leg of the 2012 James Dyson Award with his SafetyNet design, which aims to promote sustainable trawler fishing. The design is built around a series of ‘escape rings’ that can be retrofitted into fishing nets.
Watson, who graduated with a joint MA in design engineering from the RCA, consulted fishermen at every stage of the project development, and says the design is set to be trialled in conjunction with a Government body.
A key focus in the design of the escape rings is to make them as low-maintenance as possible. The rings are illuminated, acting in a similar way to emergency exit signs for fish, making it very clear where the escape routes are. In addition to this, water-flow through the wide-open meshes guides the fish to freedom.
The design will go forward into judging for the international , the winner of which will be announced on 8 November.
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