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Multi-specific effects of increasing T90 mesh size and amount in an Australian fish trawl
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Multi-specific effects of increasing T90 mesh size and amount in an Australian fish trawl

Matt K Broadhurst, Ian A. Knuckey and Russell B Millar
Frontiers in Marine Science, Vol.10, 1196660
20/06/2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2023.1196660
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Published (Version of record)CC BY V4.0,  Open Access
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Published (Version of record)CC BY V4.0,  Open

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Abstract

Codends Deep water Discards Fish Fisheries Global positioning systems GPS
Increases in the size and amount of meshes turned 90o (‘T90’) in an Australian fish-trawl codend were investigated for improving the size selection of deepwater flathead, Neoplatycephalus contas and reducing discards. The conventional codend comprised 94-mm mesh throughout with normal orientation (diamond-shaped mesh) in the posterior half, but T90 in the anterior half (‘half 94-mm T90’ codend). Two new codends had 105-mm T90 mesh in the anterior section only (‘half 105-mm T90’) and throughout (‘full 105-mm T90’). Both larger-meshed codends caught fewer immature deepwater flathead, but also lost some larger fish; especially the full 105-mm T90 codend which had 80% more T90 meshes. The larger-meshed codends also allowed some discard species to escape, but similarly affected other targets. Collected deepwater flathead morphological data support a T90 mesh size of ~100 mm in the anterior codend, or ~94-mm throughout to maintain target sizes. But, irrespective of changes to codend meshes, owing to comparable inter-specific sizes and shapes, the discard percentage in this fishery will probably remain consistent at >75%, which is more than double the global average for fish trawls. Future efforts to improve selection in the fishery should consider modifications other than codend changes.

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