Comparing catch efficiency of five models of pot for use in a Newfoundland and Labrador cod fishery

Phillip Meintzer; Philip Walsh; Brett Favaro

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0199702

Comparing catch efficiency of five models of pot for use in a Newfoundland and Labrador cod fishery

PLoS One. 2018 Jun 27;13(6):e0199702. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199702. eCollection 2018.

Authors

Phillip Meintzer^{1

2}, Philip Walsh², Brett Favaro^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Ocean Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
² Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

Abstract

Sustainability of commercial fisheries is best achieved when fishing gears are selective and have low impacts on bottom habitat. Pots (baited traps) are a fishing technology that typically has lower impacts than many other industrial gears. In this study we compared the efficiency of five models of pots (baited traps) designed to catch Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) for use in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL)'s expanding cod fishery. We compared catch per unit effort (CPUE) and total lengths of cod across each pot type, as well as bycatch rates of each model. All pot types were successful at catching cod, but two models (the modified Newfoundland pot, and a four-entrance pot of our design) had highest CPUE. Specifically, we found that modifying Newfoundland pots increased their CPUE by 145% without a corresponding increase in bycatch. None of the pot types produced substantial amounts of bycatch. This study demonstrated that potting gear is an effective way to catch cod in NL, and that there is flexibility in which pot fishers can use, depending on the layout of their fishing vessel.

Publication types

Comparative Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Algorithms
Animals
Body Size
Fisheries* / economics
Fisheries* / statistics & numerical data
Gadus morhua* / physiology
Models, Theoretical
Newfoundland and Labrador
Regression Analysis

Grants and funding

Financial support for this project was provided by the Canadian Centre for Fisheries Innovation (H-2015-08), the Research and Development Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Ignite program (5404.1889.101) and Ocean Industry Student Research Award (5404-1911-101), Fisheries and Oceans Canada (F5211-150224), a Marine Environmental Observation Prediction and Response (MEOPAR) Early Career Faculty Research Award (EC1-BF-MUN), a Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Seafood Innovation and Transition Program grant (#24), and the Liber Ero Fellowship. In-kind support was provided by inshore fish harvesters of Fogo Island, including Aubrey and Marie Payne, and Rodney Button. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.