BEAUFORT, N.C. – Each year, large numbers of marine mammals, sea birds, sea turtles and non-target fish species are accidentally maimed or killed after becoming ensnared in commercial fishing gear. A new international competition, supported in part by the Nicholas School through the Marine Wildlife Bycatch Consortium, is intended to help end that, by awarding a $25,000 grand prize for the best new fishing gear designed to reduce bycatch. The International Smart Gear Competition is open to anyone. The top prize will be awarded to the gear that offers the most practical, cost-effective method for reducing bycatch of any species. In addition to the prize money, the winner also will receive assistance in bringing his or her design to market. Judges will be scientists, policy experts, seafood suppliers, conservationists and gear technologists from a coalition of government, university, nonprofit and industry partners, including the Marine Wildlife Bycatch Consortium, the American Fisheries Society; the Center for Sustainable Aquatic Resources; NOAA Fisheries; the World Wildlife Fund; the National Fisheries Institute; and the Fisheries Conservation Foundation. Entanglement in fishing gear was identified as the leading threat to marine mammals around the globe in last month’s report from the U.S. Oceans Commission. Conventional fishing gear most often doesn’t allow fishermen to target their catch to specific species. As a result, non-targeted species, such as sea turtles, whales and sea birds, are often caught in the gear or nets. For more information about the International Smart Gear Competition, you can go online atwww.smartgear.org.