Size selectivity patterns in the North-east Arctic cod and haddock fishery with sorting grids of 55, 60, 70 and 80 mm

Published source details Sistiaga M., Grimaldo E. & Larsen R.B. (2008) Size selectivity patterns in the North-east Arctic cod and haddock fishery with sorting grids of 55, 60, 70 and 80 mm. Fisheries Research, 93, 195-203.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Use a different design or configuration of size-sorting escape grid/system in trawl fishing gear (bottom and mid-water) Action Link

Use a different design or configuration of size-sorting escape grid/system in trawl fishing gear (bottom and mid-water)

A replicated, paired, controlled study in 2006–2007 of a fished area of seabed in the Barents Sea off the coast of Troms and Finnmark, northern Norway (Sistiaga et al. 2008) found that using a different configuration of size-sorting escape grid (increased bar spacing) in a bottom fish trawl improved the size-selectivity of cod Gadus morhua but not haddock Melanogrammus aeglefinus. For cod, the average length at which fish had a 50% chance of escape was greater between the two highest bar spacings compared to the two smallest bar spacings, with no other differences (80 mm: 73 cm, 70 cm: 65 cm, 60 mm: 58 cm, 55 mm: 56 cm). For haddock, the length was similar between bar spacings (70 mm: 53 cm, 60 mm: 53 cm, 55 mm: 50 cm). Data were collected in February/March 2006 and 2007 from 70 trawl deployments (45–270 min) on a research vessel using a twin trawl. Experimental codends with standard commercial steel grids of one of four bar spacings (80, 70, 65 and 55 mm) were fished on one side of the trawl and on the other a standard identical codend but without a grid and with a small mesh (55 mm) inner liner to retain all catch that entered the codend (see original paper for gear specifications).

(Summarised by: Natasha Taylor)