Study

Trap modification opens new gates to achieve sustainable coral reef fisheries

  • Published source details Gomes I., Erzini K. & McClanahan T.R. (2014) Trap modification opens new gates to achieve sustainable coral reef fisheries. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 24, 680-695.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Modify fishing trap/pot configuration

Action Link
Marine Fish Conservation
  1. Modify fishing trap/pot configuration

    A replicated, controlled study in 2012 at two coral reef sites in the Indian Ocean, Kenya (Gomes et al. 2014) found that traditional traps with added escape gaps reduced the catches of unwanted fish compared to unmodified traps. Across both sites, biomass of non-commercial reef fish catch was lower in modified traps (40–210 g/trap) compared to unmodified traps (242–328 g/trap). At one site, commercial catch was similar between the trap designs (502–827 g/trap) and at the other site commercial catch was greater using the modified trap (1,376 g/trap) compared to the unmodified design (1,032 g/trap). Data were collected at a fish landing site between January-April 2012, from trap catches by fishers from two areas of the Mpunguti Marine National Reserve (10 km2, established 1978). Fish catch weights were sampled from 77 catches using modified traditional traps (two 3 × 30 cm escape gaps) and 161 catches using unmodified traditional traps (161 samples).

    (Summarised by: Chris Barrett)

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