Reducing the marine debris of recreational hoop nets in south-eastern Australia.
Alternative configurations of Australian recreational portunid hoop nets were investigated to address debris and selectivity issues. Four treatment nets (all comprising 152-mm polyamide-PA mesh) were assessed that differed in their twine (conventional multifilament vs new multi-monofilament) and fishing configuration (conventional conical vs inverted shapes). The conical multifilament design lost means (±SEs) of 130.6±23.1 and 5.3±1.2mm of twine 3-h soak-1when used to target Scylla serrata and Portunus pelagicus. Inverting this hoop net significantly reduced legal-sized catches (by up to 70%) and with greater twine loss (×5) when targeting P. pelagicus. Conversely, both multi-monofilament configurations maintained legal catches of S. serrata and P. pelagicus, but lost 78 and 95% less twine than the conical multifilament design. Using multi-monofilament hoop nets could reduce PA debris by thousands of m p.a. in south-eastern Australia, without affecting targeted catches. Further, a lower fishing height of inverted multi-monofilament nets might reduce non-portunid bycatch.
NSW Department of Primary Industries, Fisheries Conservation Technology Unit, PO Box 4321, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450, Australia; Marine and Estuarine Ecology Unit, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia. Electronic address: matt.broadhurst@dpi.nsw.gov.au.
Matt K
MK
Broadhurst
Department of Statistics, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019 Auckland, New Zealand.
Russell B
RB
Millar
D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia; D005398:Fisheries; D005399:Fishes; D011998:Recreation; D013021:South Australia; D014866:Waste Products; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control*
D014866:Waste Products
Fishing debris; Marine debris; Polyamide; Recreational fishing