Reducing the bycatch of undersized whiting (Merlangius merlangus) in flyshooting fisheries using a square mesh escape panel

Abstract

Flyshooting or Scottish seining is a relatively new but fast growing seining technique. In the English Channel and the North Sea, the main targets are species without Total Allowable Catch (TAC), but whiting (Merlangius merlangus) is a quota-regulated species that is often landed as bycatch. This could make whiting a potential choke species under the current landing obligation. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effectivity of a square mesh panel (SMP) in releasing (undersized) whiting. A catch analysis was done to assess the loss of fish through the SMP. This revealed that over 40% of the undersized and 20% of the marketable whiting escaped through the SMP and was retained in the 55 mm SMP cover. The commercial loss of other species was limited to minor quantities of small red mullet (Mullus surmuletus). We conclude that this SMP can be an effective net adaptation to significantly reduce the bycatch of whiting in the flyshooting fishery with only a marginal commercial loss of other species.