Abstract
Experimental fishing trials with standard (control) and modified trammel nets were conducted to assess the possible reduction of discards. The standard trammel net was the commercial net used in the area (80 mm stretched mesh inner panel) targeting Sepia officinalis. This configuration produced 19% discards in weight. The modifications researched were of two kinds: a “guarding net” consisting of a 2.5-mesh-high (200 mm stretched mesh) net between the footrope and the trammel net and artificial lights of two colours (white or green) mounted on the floating ropes. Catches were identified, measured and categorized (commercial, discards and reason for discarding), and the different configurations were tested for statistical differences. Our results show that trammel net deployments with guarding net produce 32% higher catches of commercial species and as much as 95% higher catches of the target cuttlefish. Artificial lights produced a low but significant increase in total catches of commercial species of 13%, with no differences due to light colour. The amount of discards in deployments with guarding net was 6%, i.e. ca. 1/4 of the amount produced by the standard configuration. The effect of lights on discard reduction was not significant.
Highlights
The coastal small-scale fisheries practised in southern European waters employ mainly set nets as fishing gear (Stergiou et al 2006)
The modifications researched were of two kinds: a “guarding net” consisting of a 2.5-mesh-high (200 mm stretched mesh) net between the footrope and the trammel net and artificial lights of two colours mounted on the floating ropes
Our results show that trammel net deployments with guarding net produce 32% higher catches of commercial species and as much as 95% higher catches of the target cuttlefish
Summary
The coastal small-scale fisheries practised in southern European waters employ mainly set nets as fishing gear (trammel nets and, to a lesser extent, gillnets and longlines) (Stergiou et al 2006). Given the low economic performance of small-scale fisheries in Europe and their importance as a producer of high-quality fresh seafood of local origin (Griffiths et al 2007, Guyader 2007), technical measures promoting their viability without increasing their impact on fisheries resources or habitats need to be introduced (Gonçalves et al 2007, Maynou et al 2011). The reduction of unwanted catches in small-scale fisheries can reduce maintenance and operational costs for fishermen as well as the impact on benthic communities. Unwanted by-catch is relatively low in Mediterranean fisheries using set nets compared with that of fisheries using towed gears. Discarding of unwanted by-catch or damaged commercial specimens is frequent and represents a cost for fishers (Gonçalves et al 2008). Damaged commercial catches cannot be commercialized and represent a loss of income (Rossetti et al 2006)
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