The Bait Saviour Bait Container and WaTS (Whale and Trap Saviour) are built for commercial fishing vessels that want a smarter, more reliable way to protect bait, cut bait spend, and fish more efficiently. Bait Saviour is a bait saver system designed to reduce bait loss in lobster pots, crab pots, creels, and other shellfish traps. The Bait Container is a timed bait release container that controls when bait becomes available during the soak, while WaTS reduces reliance on vertical lines, helping prevent marine mammal entanglement and reducing the risk of traps being dragged away. Together, they form a bait protection system for commercial fishing vessels that improves catch consistency, reduces bait loss, and supports whale-safe fishing practices. Challenge overview and why it matters: • Inefficient bait conversion: Traditional setups burn through bait fast and the return isn’t always there. That’s money lost on every haul. • Predation and environmental loss: Bait is quickly scavenged by non-target species or degraded by currents and temperature, reducing effectiveness early in the soak. • Operational strain: To compensate, crews increase soak times or deploy more gear, which increases fuel use, labour hours, and gear exposure. • Conservation and compliance pressure: Whales and other marine mammals face entanglement risk from vertical lines, and regulations are tightening across many fisheries. How the Bait Saviour bait saver system addresses bait loss: • Timed bait release: Instead of letting bait get stripped in the first hours, the bait saver container releases bait on a schedule, keeping it effective for longer soaks. • Behaviour-based timing: Lobsters are predominantly nocturnal feeders, so scheduled release can align bait activity with peak feeding windows. • Better selectivity: Reduced early exposure makes bait less accessible to unwanted predators and keeps more scent and nutrients available when target species are actively foraging. Core features of the Bait Saviour bait saver container: • Electronically controlled bait container: A rugged, sealed unit designed for harsh marine conditions. • Programmable release windows: Set one or multiple releases to suit tides, moon phase, season, and target species behaviour. • Precision timing over extended soaks: Minute-level scheduling across long deployments (up to 20 days) to support short or long soaks. • Depth-ready design: Built for commercial pot fishing depths up to 183 metres (100 fathoms). • Wireless communication and charging: Designed to operate without physical connectors, improving reliability and ease of handling at sea. • Fits existing gear: Secure bait saver container for lobster pots, crab pots, creels, and other shellfish traps with minimal modification. • Low maintenance and durable: Saltwater-resistant materials and simple field servicing for dependable performance. Hub and Remote (smart bait control system): • Bait monitoring hub for fishing: Central control for GPS pot tracking, and real-time bait container countdowns. • Remote bait container control: Simple programming of release schedules that stays practical for crews. • Manage at scale: Online portal tools for pot location tracking, battery status, and operating cost management. Operational benefits fishermen can expect: • Higher catch consistency: Concentrating bait activity into the hours that matter improves set-to-haul results. • Lower bait spend: Optimised release reduces bait consumption by an estimated 50% to 75% while maintaining or improving catch. • Fewer hauls and trips: Better bait efficiency can reduce steaming and hauling cycles, lowering fuel and labour costs (often up to 50% fuel reduction depending on operation and strategy). • Cleaner gear interactions: Less bait waste often means fewer non-target scavengers around the gear and less interference. The WaTS system (whale-safe fishing and gear protection): • Reduced entanglement risk: WaTS minimises reliance on vertical lines that can pose danger to whales and other marine mammals. • Compliance support: Helps crews move toward evolving whale-safe standards while reducing avoidable gear loss events. • Practical benefit: Less interaction risk, less gear disruption, more predictable fishing. Why the combined solution is a game changer: • Efficiency plus conservation: The bait saver container helps deliver the same (or better) catch with less wasted bait, while WaTS reduces whale interaction risk. • Stronger performance in tough conditions: In currents, heat, or high predator pressure, controlled release preserves bait value instead of losing it early in the soak. • Smarter planning: Crews can schedule releases around tide and moon phases, trigger bait activity overnight, and haul at first light. Example use scenarios: • Short soaks (6 to 10 hours): Set a single night release, then haul at dawn. Ideal for day boats aiming for quick turnarounds with minimal bait loss. • Long soaks (24 to 96 hours): Use staggered releases to maintain attraction without physically rebaiting the trap. • Seasonal tuning: Adjust timing when lobsters and crabs change depth or feeding behaviour to keep efficiency consistent. Sustainability and fishery health: • Reduced bait waste in fisheries: Less discarded bait and fewer scavenger swarms can mean cleaner seabed conditions and fewer unwanted interactions. • Marine mammal protection: WaTS targets one of the biggest causes of whale injury and death - line entanglement. • More stable yields: Better bait efficiency helps reduce pressure to over-deploy gear to hit targets. Ease of use and maintenance: • Quick install: Brackets and straps suit standard pots and creels, with no special tools needed for routine mounting. • Simple programming: Clear setup for release schedules with status confirmation. • Field serviceable: Rinse, inspect seals, and replace consumables as required. Best practices for results: • Align release with peak activity: Often shortly after dusk, then refine based on your logbook results. • Use smaller, strategic bait loads: Better than loading large amounts at set time. • Tune to tides and moonlight: Feeding windows can shift, so adjust schedules to suit conditions. • Track and iterate: Record CPUE against release timing to lock in the best schedule for your grounds. Putting it all together: By using the Bait Saviour bait saver system (Bait Container, Hub and Remote) alongside WaTS, commercial crews can run safer, more predictable sets with less bait loss and stronger catch consistency. It’s a smart bait saver container for commercial fishing that helps reduce bait spend, improve efficiency at sea, and support whale-safe fishing practices without making day-to-day operations more complicated.