Performance of sieve net bycatch reduction devices in the seas off Cochin (southwest coast), India
Performance of sieve net bycatch reduction devices in the seas off Cochin (southwest coast), India
Date
2013
Authors
Sabu, S.
Gibinkumar, T.R.
Pravin, P.
Boopendranath, M.R.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Society of Fisheries Technologists (India)
Abstract
Bottom trawling is widely employed for catching
shrimps in India. Due to the multi species nature of
Indian fisheries, bottom trawling catches considerable
amount of non-shrimp resources, especially
juveniles. Performance of two designs of Sieve net
Bycatch Reduction Devices was evaluated in the seas
off Cochin, southwest coast of India. Designs
selected were Sieve net (i) with a 60 mm diamond
mesh funnel inside the net and 80 mm diamond
mesh outlet codend (Sieve net-60) and (ii) with 50
mm diamond mesh funnel inside the net with 60 mm
diamond mesh outlet codend (Sieve net-50). Among
the two Sieve nets evaluated, Sieve net-60 performed
better in terms of shrimp retention. Bycatch exclusion
in Sieve net-60 was about 37% (without
jellyfish) and 15% (with jellyfish) while bycatch
exclusion in Sieve net-50 operated during non-jelly
fish season was 33%. Shrimp loss was 4.5% and
19.5% in Sieve net-60 and Sieve net-50, respectively.
Marketable size groups of fishes and crabs were
retained in outlet codends of the Sieve net BRDs.
Sieve nets can also be efficiently used to exclude
jellyfish when they are abound in the shrimp fishing
grounds, by keeping the outlet codend open. Sieve
net-60 has potential for adoption in tropical trawl
fisheries, in order to minimize the impact of shrimp
trawling on juveniles and non-targeted species.
Description
Keywords
trawling, bycatch, discards, bycatch reduction devices, sieve net BRD
Citation
Fishery Technology 2013: 50 (3), 219-224