The Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) in collaboration with the Island institute and the Midcoast Fishermen’s Association (MFA) has just completed the testing of new fishing gear modifications by the MFA improve trawl selectivity and reduce the capture of non-commercial fish. Steve Eayrs, gear technologist with the research institute, informed that in 2007 fishermen from Port Clyde formed the MFA with a goal to restore groundfish stocks, reduce environmental impact and sell high quality seafood to local consumers.
Steve Eayrs also said while the MFA have for some time been using modified fishing gear to reduce catches of non-commercial fish, called bycatch, until now there has been no attempt to independently measure the efficacy of these modifications. The test of new fishing gear was carried on to measure differences in the commercial catch and bycatch between a traditional codend and two modified codends.
It was observed that in contrast the square-mesh codends retained less than 34 percent of bycatch and at the same time also retained 82 percent of legal-sized flounder. It is told that clearly using square-mesh codends by the MFA is a step in the right direction. It not only retain substantially less non-commercial targeted fish than the diamond-mesh codends, but they also retain more commercial fish.
It is explained that many fishermen from Port Clyde are already using square-mesh codends and the results of this study confirm that it is the right choice. The MFA will continue its collaborative research with Gulf of Maine Research Institute and the Island Institute next summer to reduce fuel consumption and further reduce bycatch.
