Managing recreational fisheries through gear restrictions: the case of limiting hook size in the recreational fishery from the Balearic Islands (NW Mediterranean)

Published source details Cerdà M., Alós J., Palmer M., Grau A.M. & Riera F. (2010) Managing recreational fisheries through gear restrictions: the case of limiting hook size in the recreational fishery from the Balearic Islands (NW Mediterranean). Fisheries Research, 101, 146-155.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Use a different hook type Action Link

Use a different hook type

A replicated study in 2004–2005 of rocky seabed in the Mediterranean Sea, off Majorca, Spain (Cerdà et al. 2010) found that larger hook sizes in a recreational fishery reduced overall catch numbers of fish, but maintained yields (weights), and size-selectivity was improved. Average catch rates by number were lowest at the largest hook size (5.7 fish/angler/30 min) compared to the smallest (8.6 fish/angler/30 min), and the three intermediate sizes were similar to each other (6.1–7.5 fish/angler/30 min). However, there were no differences in the overall yield (average catch weight) between all five hook sizes (212–240 g/angler/30 min). The length at 50% selectivity of four common fish species occurring in similar size frequencies differed between hook types and, although the size of the differences varied between species, increased with increasing hook size (largest: 9.2–14.6 cm, smallest: 7–10.1 cm). From March 2004 to August 2005, a total of 33 angling trips were conducted at 10–35 m depths. Angling trips were 30 min long and were fished using J-hooks of one of five hook sizes, from size H4 (the largest) large to size H8 (the smallest, see original paper for hook dimensions). Fish captured were counted and fish length measured.

(Summarised by: Leo Clarke)