Trials to Assess the Effects of Bobbin Groundgear and a 200 mm Square Mesh Panel to Reduce Unwanted By-Catches in the Commercial Nephrops Fishery
Date
2017Is part of
Scottish Marine and Freshwater Science
Size or duration
18pp
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The Gear Innovation and Technology Advisory Group (GITAG) funded trials to assess whether the unwanted by-catch of round and flatfish could be reduced in the Nephrops trawl fishery using a modified Nephrops trawl incorporating 200mm bobbins and a 200mm square mesh panel. Catches of Nephrops and monkfish remained consistent with that of a standard commercial Nephrops trawl. There were significant reductions in relative catch rates of cod and larger haddock (>25cm) and whiting (>28cm). There was no significant difference between the two trawls for haddock below 24cm and for whiting below 27cm. There was a significant reduction in the quantities of smaller common dab (<19cm) and long rough dab (<21cm) that were caught when using the modified trawl. However, significantly more larger plaice above 30cm were retained by the modified trawl.
Citation
Kinghorn, M., Dooley, J., Edridge, A., Kynoch, R. J. & O'Neill, F. G. (2017). Trials to Assess the Effects of Bobbin Groundgear and a 200 mm Square Mesh Panel to Reduce Unwanted By-Catches in the Commercial Nephrops Fishery Scottish Marine and Freshwater Science, Vol 8 (3), 18pp.
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