using an eBRP in the beam trawl fishery

to reduce benthos bycatch

Target species:
Sole

Area, Vessel
16 beam trawl tows were carried out in the North Sea (ICES IVc) on board the RV Belgica.
Gear type:
beam trawl

Gear modification
Benthos release panels (BRPs) release large amounts of unwanted benthos and debris from demersal beam trawls. Here an 80Hz electric cramp stimulus is combined with a BRP to prevent sole from escaping. The catches from a beam trawl with an eBRP was compared with a standard beam trawl.


Results:
Adding a 80 Hz electric cramp stimulus to the BRP, resulted in equal catches of sole larger than 25 cm compared to the standard net, without negatively affecting the release of benthos and most undersized commercial fish. Some sole of 24 and 25 cm were still lost.
Further information:
Soetaert et al. (2016) Reducing bycatch in beam trawls and electrotrawls with (electrified) benthos release panels. ICES Journal of Marine Science email: heleen.lenoir@ilvo.vlaanderen.be, hans.polet@ilvo.vlaanderen.be, maarten.soetaert@ilvo.vlaanderen.be




Citation :
Soetaert, M. , 2017. using an eBRP in the beam trawl fishery . In O’Neill, F.G. and Mutch, K. (Eds): Selectivity in Trawl Fishing Gears. Scottish Marine and Freshwater Science Vol 8 No 1.