using FLEX – FLatfish EXcluder –

to reduce the bycatch of flatfish and undersized roundfish in trawl fisheries

Target species:
cod and other roundfish

Area, Vessel
Tested in the western Baltic sea (SD24) onboard the RV Solea (42.40 m, 1780 kW).
Gear type:
demersal

Gear modification
(1) FLEX is an outlet in the lower panel of the net, designed to take advantage of the swimming path of flatfish to improve their escape (2) A flapper situated above the outlet discourages roundfish using FLEX (3) Further selection of fish that do not pass through FLEX takes place in the codend.


Results:
Fishing with FLEX reduces catches of juvenile cod by 14% and plaice by 80%. There were only 1% losses of marketable cod.
Further information:
juan.santos@thuenen.de; Bernd.mieske@thuenen.de Demo video: https://vimeo.com/124924775




Citation :
Santos, J. and Mieske, B. , 2017. using FLEX – FLatfish EXcluder – . In O’Neill, F.G. and Mutch, K. (Eds): Selectivity in Trawl Fishing Gears. Scottish Marine and Freshwater Science Vol 8 No 1.