Refining a Nordmore-grid bycatch reduction device for the Spencer Gulf penaeid-trawl fishery.

ABSTRACT: Incremental refinements were made to a generic Nordmøre-grid to minimise bycatches of blue swimmer crabs Portunus armatus and giant cuttlefish Sepia apama, while maintaining catches of western king prawns Melicertus latisulcatus in the Spencer Gulf penaeid-trawl fishery. These refinements involved varying bar spaces, escape-exit areas and guiding-panel lengths, and were compared against a conventional trawl. Catches of teleosts and M. latisulcatus largely remained unaffected by the changes. Maximum reductions in P. armatus and S. apama bycatches (both ~90%) were achieved with a Nordmøre-grid comprising 38-mm bar spaces, 0.81- or 1.05-m(2) escape exits and a 2.7-m guiding panel. Catching fewer P. armatus should reduce abrasion and crushing of M. latisulcatus in the codend and so increase th

SUBMITTER: Noell CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6248960 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature