WWF's International Smart Gear Competition

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) announced the launch of the 2011 International Smart Gear Competition today, to find innovative ways to reduce the amount of fisheries bycatch. Open to anyone from fisherman, backyard inventors and students, the competition will be open from March 1 to August 31, 2011.
“WWF’s goal with the Smart Gear competition is to inspire innovative ideas for environmentally-friendly fishing gear,” stated WWF VP of Fisheries Bill Fox. “In addition to fishermen losing millions of dollars each year due to bycatch, many other species, sometimes endangered marine life are unintentionally and needlessly killed by antiquated fishing gear, and it is jeopardizing their survival.

This competition identifies real-world fishing solutions that allow fishermen to fish smarter while helping to maintain ocean health.”

The 2011 International Smart Gear Competition is offering a grand prize of $30,000 and two $10,000 runner-up prizes. Additionally, in partnership with the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation, the competition is offering a $7,500 special tuna prize that will be awarded to the idea that will reduce the amount of bycatch found in tuna fisheries. Tuna sustainability is the top WWF global fisheries conservation priority.

Eligibility

The International Smart Gear Competition is open to entrants who are at least 18 years old at the time of entry. Employees, directors, agents, current contractors, and relatives of employees and directors of World Wildlife Fund, Inc., any WWF National Organization, the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are ineligible. Competition is void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary. Entrants may work as a team or individually.

Submission Deadline

The Competition will open March 1, 2011 and close August 31, 2011. Electronic entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on August 31, 2011. Mail-in entries must be postmarked by August 31, 2011 and received by September 7, 2011.