This study investigates the use of LEDs to enhance the capture rates of Crangon crangon as a sustainable alternative to traditional trawling methods. Adult C. crangon were collected from the North Sea and housed in controlled laboratory conditions. The experiment utilised a custom-built tank with four compartments, each equipped with a different colour of LED light (green, white, blue) or no light (control). Additionally, two secondary experiments were performed changing the position of the lights to confirm shrimp attraction towards light. With the obtained data we constructed a generalized linear mixed model that showed that compartments with LED lights captured significantly more shrimp than the control, with green light proving most effective, followed by blue and white lights. Initial shrimp density did not significantly affect the proportion of shrimp leaving the central compartment. The additional experiments confirmed that shrimp were attracted to the light itself rather than merely attempting to escape or explore. The findings suggest that artificial lights can effectively attract C. crangon, offering a promising method to improve pot fisheries. Further research is needed to optimise light use and pot designs for practical application in natural marine environments.
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