Dataset: Testing Raised-Webbing Gillnets to Reduce Bycatch of Cod While Targeting Pollock: catch data from F/V Lady Shannon, F/V Rachel T NEC-SE2005-1 in the Gulf of Maine from 2007-2008 (NEC_ProjDev project)

Final Report: "Testing Raised-Webbing Gillnets to Reduce Bycatch of Cod While Targeting Pollock" by Daniel J. Salerno; submitted by Steve Eayrs & Daniel J. Salerno

Pollock is a Gadoid fish species that is a target for many commercial fishermen using sink gillnets in the Gulf of Maine. This gear is made up of a wall of webbing extending upwards from the seabed and are used to catch many demersal and benthic groundfish species. From a stock assessment perspective, pollock are considered to be healthy and robust stock as the stock is not overfished and overfishing is not occurring. However, other fish stocks such as Atlantic cod, white hake and yellowtail flounder are not as well off and are considered species of concern due to their stock status.

The ability to target healthy fish stocks with minimal impact to species of concern has become an essential issue for fishermen and managers in the New England region. Amendment 13 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan developed a measure for Special Access Programs to allow fishermen to access healthy fish stocks as long as there was minimal bycatch and impact on less robust stocks. With this in mind, two Gloucester based fishermen approach GMRI with a gillnet design that could potentialachieve this goal. Their design, based on observations made during commercial fishing trips, was to raise the webbing of gillnets off the seabed in order to decrease the Atlantic cod bycatch while targeting pollock. The raised-webbing would be attached across the bottom to a neutrally buoyant foot line which would be attached to the lead line by norsel lines.

Gear trials of the raised-webbing gillnets against standard commercial gear were conducted in the inshore and offshore waters in the Gulf of Maine in the winter of 2007 and 2008. Results indicated that the raised-webbing nets did indeed decrease catch, significantly for some species while maintaining similar catch rates for pollock. These results, however, should be treated as preliminary as it is believed that several factors during field trails may have influenced these findings. One factor specifically was the real time performance of the raised-webbing gillnets during the soak duration. (abstract from final report)