Reducing the catch of small shrimps in the Gulf of Maine pink shrimp fishery with a size-sorting grid device

摘要

Since implementation of the Nordmøre grid in the Gulf of Maine pink shrimp (Pandalus borealis) trawl fishery in the early 1990s, fish bycatch has been reduced drastically. However, the Nordmøre grid does not reduce the amount of small shrimps landed when the shrimps are on the fishing grounds. This paper reports on two designs of a new size-sorting grid system, one with a funnel and one without. The designs' main feature is the size-sorting grid's position, installed in front of the main Nordmøre grid. They were tested in the flume tank and at sea. Parallel tows involving two vessels and alternating tows using one vessel were made to compare the size-sorting grid system. Both size-sorting designs reduced the number of small shrimps in the catch significantly, by 38 and 45 kg~(-1) of catch, respectively. There was some reduction in shrimp catch rates, presumably from the release of small shrimps. There were no significant differences in the number or quantity of major bycatch species for the commercial grid and the two experimental grid designs. The designs were practical to operate and easy to install. Their application could reduce the catch of small shrimps in the pink shrimp fishery in the Gulf of Maine and in other areas.