REDUCING WINTER FLOUNDER RETENTION THROUGH THE USE OF AVOIDANCE GEAR ADAPTATIONS
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Results
The experimental large mesh belly panel has proven to be functionally effective in significantly reducing the quantity of winter flounder bycatch as well as other demersal species. Winter flounder showed a significant effect between the control and treatment tows and the overall percent reduction in winter flounder catch from the large mesh belly panel treatment was 87.9%. When all demersal species were pooled, we found a highly significant difference between the control and treatment that yielded an 83.3% reduction in catch by the large mesh belly panel treatment. There was no significant difference in squid catch between the control net and the net modified with the large mesh belly panel. In summary, results indicate that the large mesh belly panel is capable of effectively reducing winter flounder bycatch and the bycatch of other demersal species while retaining levels of longfin squid compared to the control net. This large mesh belly panel gear design worked as anticipated and offers a practical solution to the winter flounder bycatch problem in the longfin squid fishery.