Release efficiency and selectivity of four different square mesh panel configurations in the Basque mixed bottom trawl fishery

  1. Cuende, Elsa 1
  2. Arregi, Luis 1
  3. Herrmann, Bent 2
  4. Sistiaga, Manu 3
  5. Basterretxea, Mikel 1
  1. 1 AZTI-Tecnalia, Marine Research Division
  2. 2 SINTEF Ocean, Fishing Gear Technology - The Arctic University of Norway
  3. 3 Instituto de Investigación Marina
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    Instituto de Investigación Marina

    Coímbra, Portugal

    ROR https://ror.org/03r8hgy04

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Journal:
Scientia Marina

ISSN: 0214-8358

Year of publication: 2020

Volume: 84

Issue: 1

Pages: 39-47

Type: Article

DOI: 10.3989/SCIMAR.04975.17A DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openOpen access editor

More publications in: Scientia Marina

Abstract

Reduction of discards from the Basque mixed bottom trawl fishery is a challenge. To improve the selective properties of the gear used by the fleet and supplement codend size selection, a square mesh panel (SMP) installed in the upper panel of the trawl was introduced in 2006. However, recent studies have shown that the release efficiency of this SMP is low due to lack of contact between the fish and the SMP. In this study, we tested the release efficiency of the SMP for four different gear configurations. We tested the effect of adding LED lights at two different positions and altering panel size and panel position in the trawl. The analyses were focused on two species: hake (Merluccius merluccius) and blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou). The results showed that the position of LED lights did not significantly affect the SMP’s release efficiency for any species. However, increasing panel size had a significant positive effect on the release efficiency of blue whiting, and placing the SMP in the lower panel improved the release efficiency of hake. These results highlight the challenge of simultaneously improving the selective properties of gear for species with different behaviour, especially in mixed demersal fisheries.

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We would like to thank the editor and two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments, which have certainly improved the manuscript. We thank the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Environment for funding the research and for use of the R/V Emma Bardan, and we thank the crew of the Emma Bardan for their valuable assistance during the study.

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