Summary
Four experimental snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) conical pots with non-selective, small mesh jackets and collars of 180 mm, 240 mm, 300 mm, and 180 mm with a 51 mm lip, were compared with small mesh pots with no collar and traditional pots with traditional mesh in Conception Bay, Canada. Smaller collars did not improve catch efficiency (but did not significantly reduce target catch), and caught large amounts of sub-legal and female crabs. Additionally, larger collars substantially reduced catch of target-sized crabs (although sub-legal catch was also reduced). Future work will integrate escape gaps to assist escapement.