Abstract
An experiment was set up to study the catching efficiency of lost bottom gill nets. In September 1998 and May 1999, 24 fleets of normal commercial gill nets were deployed in a typical gill net fishing ground in the Hanö Bay in the southern Baltic Sea (ICES sub-division 25). At each of the nine fixed exposure times up to 27 months, three randomly chosen fleets were retrieved. The catch comprised mainly of cod ( Gadus morhua) and flounder ( Pleuronectes flesus). The experimental catch rate of cod was compared to that of commercial nets used in the same area at the same time. During the first 3 months, the relative catching efficiency of “lost” nets was found to decrease rapidly by around 80%, thereafter stabilising around 5–6% of the initial level. There was strong evidence that the experimental nets would have continued to catch fish beyond the observed 27 months. It was observed that nets with a long exposure time seemed to have a tendency of catching smaller individuals than would be implied by their nominal mesh size.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
