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Summary:

Acoustic pingers placed in the rear of a pair trawl net in the United Kingdom bass pair trawl fishery did not reduce bycatch of common dolphins (Delphinus delphis). Multi-monofilament net, placed in the North Sea and West of Scotland gillnet fisheries, had no significant impact on harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) bycatch when compared to traditional monofilament net. Thin twine monofilament nets (.4mm twine diameter, 90 mm mesh size) reduced bycatch of harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) and seals in the North Sea and West of Scotland gillnet fisheries when compared to thick (.6mm twine diameter, 267 mm mesh size) monofilament nets. Barium sulphate nets had higher bycatch of harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) and seals in the North Sea and West of Scotland gillnet fisheries when compared to traditional gillnets.

Summary:

Acoustic pingers placed in the rear of a pair trawl net in the United Kingdom bass pair trawl fishery did not reduce bycatch of common dolphins (Delphinus delphis). Multi-monofilament net, placed in the North Sea and West of Scotland gillnet fisheries, had no significant impact on harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) bycatch when compared to traditional monofilament net. Thin twine monofilament nets (.4mm twine diameter, 90 mm mesh size) reduced bycatch of harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) and seals in the North Sea and West of Scotland gillnet fisheries when compared to thick (.6mm twine diameter, 267 mm mesh size) monofilament nets. Barium sulphate nets had higher bycatch of harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) and seals in the North Sea and West of Scotland gillnet fisheries when compared to traditional gillnets.

Summary: Trap guards, made of bungee cords, reduced interactions between bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and the Indian River Lagoon blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) pot fishery.

Summary: A trap-net modification reduced seal-induced [Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) and Ringed seal (Phoca hispida botnica)] catch and gear damage in the northern Baltic Sea trap-net fishery for salmon (Salmo salar) and whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus). Target catch remained the same or increased in four of five modified traps.

Summary: An underwater setting funnel, used in conjunction with a bird-scaring line, reduced bycatch of albatross and petrel seabirds in the demersal longline fishery for Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) off of the sub-Antarctic South African Prince Edward Islands. Although fish rates were not compared between sets with and without the funnel, it is predicted fish catch would improve with the use of the funnels as fishing would be permitted during the day in addition to current nighttime fishing.

Summary: Three of four bycatch reduction devices placed on shrimp (Penaeus aztecus and Penaeus setiferus) trawls in the Gulf of Mexico reduced bycatch of fish species but also reduced catch of shrimp. The fourth bycatch reduction device increased catch of shrimp and fish when compared with control nets.

Summary:

A square mesh/extended funnel bycatch reduction device (BRD) tested in the bottom trawl shrimp fishery in the Gulf of California decreased bycatch by 40% when compared to control trawls. On average, the BRD excluded 37% of finfish species, including the endangered Totoaba macdonaldi, but it also reduced shrimp catch by approximately 7%.

Summary: Modified ground gear, known as batwing otter boards, created less disturbance to the seafloor than traditional otter boards in the Australian prawn trawl fishery, decreasing bycatch of benthic squirts and starfish by approximately 85-90%. The target catch of both prawns and scallops decreased by about 10%. Modified ground gear, called soft-brush ground gear, reduced bycatch of starfish by 35% but increased bycatch of nektobenthic species including small crabs and non-target prawns in the Australian prawn trawl fishery. The target catch of prawns decreased 10% while scallop catch increased 10%.

Summary: Modified ground gear, known as batwing otter boards, created less disturbance to the seafloor than traditional otter boards in the Australian prawn trawl fishery, decreasing bycatch of benthic squirts and starfish by approximately 85-90%. The target catch of both prawns and scallops decreased by about 10%. Modified ground gear, called soft-brush ground gear, reduced bycatch of starfish by 35% but increased bycatch of nektobenthic species including small crabs and non-target prawns in the Australian prawn trawl fishery. The target catch of prawns decreased 10% while scallop catch increased 10%.

Summary: A trap modification reduced bycatch of diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) in a blue crab (Callinectes sepidus) pot fishery in the Patuxent River, a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. Three wire modifications were tested and found that terrapin bycatch can be reduced without decreasing the number or size of captured crabs.