using a horizontal separator panel

to separate bycatch from the catch in the beam trawl fishery

Target species:
Sole and plaice

Area, Vessel
28 beam trawl tows were carried out in the Southern North Sea on board the RV Belgica
Gear type:
beam

Gear modification
A 240 mm square mesh horizontal separator panel was fitted to a beam trawl to separate sole and plaice from smaller plaice and roundfish. Two configurations were tested (i) an ‘open panel’ where fish can go above or below the leading edge of the separator panel to the upper or lower codends and (ii) a ‘closed panel’ where the leading edge of the panel is attached to the lower opening of the net. In this case for fish to arrive at the lower codend they had to pass through the square mesh separator panel.


Results:
88% of sole and 75 % of plaice swim below the open panel into the lower codend. 70% of sole swim through the closed separator panel into the lower codend. Plaice are more reluctant to pass through the closed separator panel and only 40% get to the lower codend.
Further information:
heleen.lenoir@ilvo.vlaanderen.be, hans.polet@ilvo.vlaanderen.be, bart.verschueren@ilvo.vlaanderen.be




Citation :
Lenoir, H., Polet, H. and Depestele, J. , 2017. using a horizontal separator panel . In O’Neill, F.G. and Mutch, K. (Eds): Selectivity in Trawl Fishing Gears. Scottish Marine and Freshwater Science Vol 8 No 1.