The composite square-mesh panel: a modification to codends for reducing unwanted bycatch and increasing catches of prawns throughout the New South Wales oceanic prawn-trawl fishery

Composite-panel codend netting decreased catch of non-target species, including commercially important whiting (Sillago sp.), while increasing catches of target oceanic prawns (Penaeus plebejus) in the New South Wales, Australia prawn-trawl fishery . Increases in retained octopus and red mullet (Upeneichthys vlamingii) and discarded eastern blue spot flathead (Platycephalus caeruleopunctatus), likely due to their large size, were also observed.