University of Tasmania
Browse

File(s) under permanent embargo

Tropical prawn trawl bycatch of fish and seasnakes reduced by Yarrow Fisheye bycatch reduction device

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-16, 21:42 authored by Heales, DS, Gregor, R, Wakeford, J, Wang, Y, Yarrow, J, Milton, DA
Reducing unwanted trawl bycatch is actively encouraged in Australia, particularly in prawn trawl fisheries. We tested the performance of a Bycatch Reduction Device, the Yarrow Fisheye, during two periods of commercial fishing operations in Australia's Northern Prawn Fishery, by comparing the catches of paired treatment and control nets. We compared the catch weights of the small fish and invertebrate bycatch, and the commercially important tiger prawns, from 42 trawls in 2002. The Yarrow Fisheye reduced the weight of small bycatch by a mean of 22.7%, with no loss of tiger prawn. We also compared the numbers of seasnakes caught in 41 and 72 trawls during the spring trawling seasons of 2004 and 2005, respectively. The Yarrow Fisheye reduced the catches by a mean of 43.3%. Flume-tank tests of the Yarrow Fisheye showed that this device created a slow water-flow region extending over 2 m downstream from its position in the net, and close to where the catch accumulates. Finfish and seasnakes may be exploiting this slow water-flow region to escape via the eye. Although the reductions in fish and seasnake bycatch were excellent, we think they could be further improved by relating differences in fisheye position and localised water displacements, to design and rigging changes.

History

Publication title

Fisheries Research

Volume

89

Pagination

76-83

ISSN

0165-7836

Department/School

Australian Maritime College

Publisher

Elsevier

Place of publication

Netherlands

Rights statement

Copyright © 2008 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved The definitive version is available at http://www.sciencedirect.com

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Coastal or estuarine biodiversity

Usage metrics

    University Of Tasmania

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC