Bent Herrmann has been employed as a professor at DTU, where he will conduct research in the use of new technology to improve fishing gears.
On 1 September 2020, DTU appointed Bent Herrmann as professor in fishing gear performance. While working his new position at DTU, he will continue his role as chief scientist at SINTEF Ocean and professor at the University of Tromsø (UIT), part-time.
Bent Herrmann’s key research areas include development of new selective and efficient fishing gears that can help the fishermen catch more fish of the correct species and sizes, and by-catch less unwanted fish in their net. He has especially focused on development of computer-based methods for statistical analysis of data from fishing experiments, as well as his work on simulation models that can analyse the efficiency and size selection of fishing gears.
During his work, he has developed three computer-based tools, PRESEMO, FISHSELECT and SELNET. These are used by various research institutions focusing on research and counseling within fishery technology, worldwide.
One of the challenges every professional fisherman must face, is ensuring as few by-catches as possible. The detail lies in avoiding other species than those permitted to the fishery, and avoiding fish that are too small. Because of this, the fishermen always ask themselves: How big is the risk of me catching fish of different sizes, with a particular fishing gear? What gear can I choose to catch most of a specific size or species? How much can I lower the risk of catching fish that are too small or young, if I choose another piece of fishing gear that will reduce the risk of by-catch? All of these questions, Bent Herrmann seeks to answer and account for, with his research.
The aim is to contribute to a more sustainable fishery, reducing the pollution of the climate through fishing, and ensuring a more efficient fishery.
Bent Herrmann will be placed in DTU Aqua’s Section ofEcosystem based Marine Management located in the Research Center of the North Sea in Hirtshals. He has already had his daily whereabouts there, as the center also hold a flume tank administered by SINTEF OCEAN, which has been his employer for the last 7 years. Prior to that, he was a senior scientist at DTU Aqua’s research group in fishing technology, at the very same place.
Thus, he is already acquainted with, and has collaborated with, his new colleagues in the research group. Over the past few years, he has produced and published more than 25 scientific papers in collaboration with DTU Aqua’s scientists. Because of this, he is already assured of the grand potential in developing the co-operation between DTU Aqua, other departments of DTU and SINTEF Ocean, as well as other universities – especially in Norway.
In addition to his research, Bent Herrmann will contribute to the teachings of bachelor, masters- and PhD students at DTU.
Background
Bent Herrmann has a MSc in mechanics and physics, as well as a PhD in modelling and simulation of size selection in fishing gears from the University of Aalborg. He has published more than 130 scientific papers and contributed to more than 100 conferences about the selectivity and efficiency of fishing gears. Since 2003 he has been a member of ICES’s expert group Fishing Technology and Fish Behaviour WGFTFB and has previously been chair of the ICES expert group on size selection in trawl codends, SGTCOD.