Quantifying the effects of bycatch reduction devices in Queensland's (Australia) shallow water eastern king prawn (Penaeus plebejus) trawl fishery
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Published source details
Courtney A.J., Tonks M.L., Campbell M.J., Roy D.P., Gaddes S.W., Kyne P.M. & O’Neill M.F. (2006) Quantifying the effects of bycatch reduction devices in Queensland's (Australia) shallow water eastern king prawn (Penaeus plebejus) trawl fishery. Fisheries Research, 80, 136-147.
Published source details Courtney A.J., Tonks M.L., Campbell M.J., Roy D.P., Gaddes S.W., Kyne P.M. & O’Neill M.F. (2006) Quantifying the effects of bycatch reduction devices in Queensland's (Australia) shallow water eastern king prawn (Penaeus plebejus) trawl fishery. Fisheries Research, 80, 136-147.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Fit large, supported escape openings (such as Fisheyes, Bigeyes and radial escape sections) to trawl nets Action Link |
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Fit large, supported escape openings (such as Fisheyes, Bigeyes and radial escape sections) to trawl nets
A replicated, randomized, paired, controlled study in 2001 in a fished area of seabed in the Coral Sea off the coast of Queensland, Australia (Courtney et al. 2006) found that a prawn trawl net modified with large, supported escape openings (radial escape section) reduced the overall amount of unwanted catch (fish and invertebrates) compared to a standard net without escape openings. Total unwanted catch (up to 250 fish and invertebrate species combined) was 19% lower in the net with escape openings relative to the average catch rate of the standard net (11 kg/ha). In addition, when used in a net that also had a size-sorting escape grid, the combined system reduced unwanted catch by 24% relative to the standard net catch. Commercial target eastern king prawn Penaeus plebejus catches were similar between trawl types (data reported as statistical result). Data were collected from 90 experimental paired trawl deployments at 45 locations on a chartered fishing vessel over ten nights in October 2001. Four codend types were towed in blocks of pairs on either side of a twin trawl: one with a radial escape section only, one with a radial escape section and a size-sorting grid (turtle excluder device), one with a grid only (see paper for data) and one a standard codend. After each deployment unwanted catch was weighed and a subsample frozen and sorted by species in a laboratory.
(Summarised by: Khatija Alliji)
