Improvement of trawl selectivity in the NW Mediterranean demersal fishery by using a 40mm square mesh codend
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Published source details
Bahamon N., Sardà F. & Suuronen P. (2006) Improvement of trawl selectivity in the NW Mediterranean demersal fishery by using a 40mm square mesh codend. Fisheries Research, 81, 15-25.
Published source details Bahamon N., Sardà F. & Suuronen P. (2006) Improvement of trawl selectivity in the NW Mediterranean demersal fishery by using a 40mm square mesh codend. Fisheries Research, 81, 15-25.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Use a square mesh instead of a diamond mesh codend in a trawl net Action Link |
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Use a square mesh instead of a diamond mesh codend in a trawl net
A replicated, controlled study in 2005 in two areas of seabed in the Mediterranean Sea off eastern Spain (Bahamon et al. 2006) found that square mesh instead of diamond mesh codends improved the size-selectivity of commercially important European hake Merluccius merluccius, poor cod Trisopterus minutus and greater forkbeard Phycis blennoides in a multi-species bottom trawl fishery. Across all hauls, the selection length (the length at which 50% of fish are predicted to escape) was higher in the square mesh codend for hake (square: 16 cm, diamond: 10 cm), poor cod (square: 13 cm, diamond: 9 cm) and forkbeard (square: 15 cm, diamond: 10 cm). Commercial fishing deployments with both square and diamond mesh codends (40 mm) were conducted in July 2005 on the continental shelf (100 m, 19 hauls) and upper slope (400 m, 9 hauls) of the Catalan Sea. Tow duration was 15–157 minutes. A small mesh cover (15 mm) over each codend sampled escaped fish.
(Summarised by: Chris Barrett)
