using a 300mm Square Mesh Panel

to reduce fish discards in a Nephrops trawl

Target species:
Nephrops

Area, Vessel
23 quad-rig catch comparison hauls took place in the western Irish Sea (ICES VIIa) on board MFV Stella Nova (DA57) (23.5m, 441kW) during August 2014.
Gear type:
demersal (quad rig)

Gear modification
A 300mm square mesh panel was inserted 9m from the cod-line in the test gear. The standard gear was identical but without a square mesh panel. Nominal codend mesh size and fishing circle were 80 mm and 386 X 70 mm.


Results:
There were reduced catches of haddock and whiting across all size grades. The Nephrops catches were not reduced.
Further information:
Daragh Browne browned@bim.ie <A href=http://www.bim.ie/our-publications/fisheries/> http://www.bim.ie/our-publications/fisheries/ </A>




Citation :
Browne, D. , 2017. using a 300mm Square Mesh Panel . In O’Neill, F.G. and Mutch, K. (Eds): Selectivity in Trawl Fishing Gears. Scottish Marine and Freshwater Science Vol 8 No 1.