Survival of Plaice and Sole Discards in the Otter Trawl and Beam Trawl Fisheries in the North Sea

摘要

The paper summarizes the results of survival experiments with plaice and sole discards caught by commercial beam trawl vessels and a research vessel fishing with an otter trawl, and with soles that escaped through the meshes in covered cod-end experiments. In the commercial beam trawl fishery the survival of both plaice and sole discards is estimated to be less than 10%. The survival of soles that escape through the meshes is estimated at 60%. The survival of discards is negatively affected by the catching process. During the catching process mortality is caused through the action of the tickler chains and the injuries imposed during the stay in the net. Under present day commercial practice the processing of the catch on deck hardly reduces the survival of discards.