Developing a semi-pelagic trawl to capture redfish in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada.

ABSTRACT: In this study, we developed a semi-pelagic trawl to target redfish (Sebastes spp.) and potentially reduce the capture of bycatch species and seabed impacts in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada. The new trawl used an innovative technique connecting the upper bridles of the trawl to the warps, anterior of the trawl doors, leading to the trawl system being fished off the seabed. Such a technique can be used to match the heights of redfish as they move above the seabed during their diurnal cycle while allowing bycatch species related to the seabed to escape under the trawl. A 1:10 scale model of the trawl was constructed and evaluated in a flume tank to optimize the rigging and then a full-scale trawl was constructed for sea trials. Two field experiments subsequently evaluated the trawl

SUBMITTER: Nguyen VY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10586289 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature