Escapement Pattern of Nemipterus japonicus from Bottom Trawl

Bellarmine K C.; Pauly K V.; Shahul Hameed M.

doi:10.56093/ft.v46i1.16277

Authors

Bellarmine K C. School of Industrial Fisheries, Cochin University of Science and Technology Fine Arts Avenue, Cochin - 682 016, Kerala, India
Pauly K V. Lecturer (Sl.Gr.), Prajyoti Niketan College, Pudukad, Kerala, India
Shahul Hameed M. School of Industrial Fisheries, Cochin University of Science and Technology Fine Arts Avenue, Cochin - 682 016, Kerala, India

https://doi.org/10.56093/ft.v46i1.16277

Keywords:

Demersal trawl, trawl selectivity, Nemipterus japonicus

Abstract

Knowledge of the escapement pattern of fishes through various sections of the trawl is necessary for improving capture efficiency and trawl selectivity. In the present study, the escapement pattern of Japanese threadfin bream (Nemipterus japonicus) through the upper panel of a demersal fish trawl is presented. The study revealed that the escapement of the Japanese threadfin bream is mostly restricted to mid-belly and hind belly sections, throat and codend, where crowding occurs. No exclusion was observed through the wings, square and anterior belly sections, though having larger meshes ranging from 120 to 160 mm, which is attributed to herding effect of the netting panels in these sections where the fish are less crowded.