using a horizontal separation panel

to improve selection in a pulse beam trawl

Target species:
marketable sole, plaice, turbot and brill

Area, Vessel
20 catch comparison trials were carried out with 2 x 12m SumWing pulse beam trawl on grounds in North Sea (ICES area IVc) on board the Jan van Toon TX36 (42.4m, 1470kW)
Gear type:
beam

Gear modification
It is assumed that sole stay at the bottom of the trawl, while other species swim at different heights and can be guided towards an upper cod-end. Hence, a separation panel was fitted ~15cm above the bottom of the trawl to direct (fish) discards to an upper codend and to direct sole, the target species, to a lower codend. During the experimental hauls the 80mm mesh size upper and lower codends were used.


Results:
The majority of the catch was found in the lower cod-end, this included 89% of the sole catch. The upper codend caught (i) 15% of landings (ii) 14% of total discards and (iii) 30% of the fish discards. 31% of discarded dab and 55% of discarded whiting were found in the upper cod-end.
Further information:
pieke.molenaar@wur.nl (http://library.wur.nl/WebQuery/wurpubs/fulltext/387860




Citation :
Molenaar, P. , 2017. using a horizontal separation panel . In O’Neill, F.G. and Mutch, K. (Eds): Selectivity in Trawl Fishing Gears. Scottish Marine and Freshwater Science Vol 8 No 1.