Floated cod pots with one entrance reduce probability of escape and increase catch rates compared with pots with two entrances

Published source details Jørgensen T., Løkkeborg S., Furevik D., Humborstad O. & De C.F. (2017) Floated cod pots with one entrance reduce probability of escape and increase catch rates compared with pots with two entrances. Fisheries Research, 187, 41-46.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Modify fishing trap/pot configuration Action Link

Modify fishing trap/pot configuration

A replicated, controlled study 2007 in an area of seabed in the Barents Sea, Norway (Jørgensen et al. 2017) found that modified floating pots (one entrance) did not reduce the amount of undersized commercial target Atlantic cod Gadus morhua compared to conventional pots with two entrances, and increased the amount of non-target haddock Melanogrammus aeglefinus. Catch rates of undersized (<44 cm) cod were similar between one-entrance pots (2 cod/pot) and two-entrance pots (2 cod/pot). Catch rates of haddock (all sizes) were higher in one-entrance pots (1.3 haddock/pot) compared to two-entrance pots (0.6 haddock/pot); the proportions of undersized (<40 cm) haddock being 44% and 69% for one- and two-entrance pots, respectively. In addition, legal-sized (>43 cm) cod catches were higher in one-entrance pots (2 cod/pot) than two-entrance pots (1 cod/pot). In September 2007, a total of 140 floating cod pots (100 × 150 × 120 cm) were set for 24 h in Varangerfjord, Norway. Seventy pots were conventional two-entrance pots (25 x 15 cm entrance) and 70 pots were modified to have one entrance. Pots were set every 50 m along a groundline at 108–150 m depth, and baited with squid Illex sp.

(Summarised by: Leo Clarke)