A selection device for pelagic fisheries is being developed as a collaborative effort between the Danish Pelagic PO, Egersund Trawl DK and the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research (IMR), co-funded by the EU CIBBRiNA initiative.
This isn’t the first stage of the project to select out ETP species (Endangered, Threatened and Protected) in pelagic fisheries, as sea trials conducted in August last year failed to deliver hoped-for results. Herring escaped through the exit, and the excluder had to be removed after two tows.
‘Following this initial trial, we returned to the drawing board and had some evaluation meetings to identify necessary design adjustments and optimisation opportunities,’ a DPPO representative stated.
‘An excluder can be used when the risk of by-catch is considered too high. Building on the positive results achieved in these fisheries, Egersund Trawl DK was engaged to support the development of an excluder specifically adapted for the herring and mackerel fisheries.’
The initial version was designed with square mesh, and to reduce the loss of herring while still filtering out ETP species such as sharks, rays/skates and seals, a modified design uses rectangular meshes.
‘The second trial was conducted at the Flume Tank North Sea facility under controlled conditions. Early indications are promising, and we aim to conduct new field trials in the herring fishery in May/June and again in the autumn,’ DPPO’s representative said.
‘To document and verify performance, multiple cameras are installed at different positions in the trawl during fishing operations. After each haul, the footage is thoroughly reviewed. The priority remains clear – to minimise bycatch of ETP species without compromising the retention of target species.
