Environmental Science
3 years ago

New Gear Modifications Reduce Bycatch, Saving Undersized Fish and Shrimp

Marine and Coastal Fisheries
Relative Catch Performance of Two Gear Modifications Used to Reduce Bycatch of Undersized Fish and Shrimp in Mediterranean Bottom Trawl Fisheries
Francesc Maynou, Alfredo García-de-Vinuesa, Pedro Martínez‐Baños, Pilar Sánchez, Montserrat Demestre

Paper Summary

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Environmental Science
3 years ago

New Gear Modifications Reduce Bycatch, Saving Undersized Fish and Shrimp

Fisheries Impact
Aquaculture Impact
Freshwater Conservation
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Environmental Science
8 years ago

Innovative fishing devices reduce discards and boost profits for fleets.

Fisheries Impact
Aquaculture Impact
Coral Resilience
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Environmental Science
8 years ago

Innovative fishing devices reduce discards and boost economic benefits for fleets.

Fisheries Impact
Aquaculture Impact
Coral Resilience

Bottom trawl fisheries in the Mediterranean often catch too many small fish and shrimp. To reduce this issue, researchers tested two gear modifications in 2019 and 2020 with Spanish trawlers. One modification added a grid to the net, and the other added a panel. The grid worked best, letting 95% of small European Hake and all small deepwater rose shrimp escape. The panel at the back of the net reduced small European Hake by 35%, but didn't change the size of caught Mullus spp. These changes could help reduce the amount of small, unwanted fish and shrimp caught in the Mediterranean.