Escape response of juvenile seabream with rockfish from the separating model codend in tank experiments

Most grid sorting has been used to sort out flatfish in shrimp fisheries, while double grid systems have been tested to separate smaller shrimp. The escape of juvenile red seabream through separating panels made with steel grids or large mesh tested for masking effects in a two-species system. Fish behavior was observed in a circulating water tank. The escape rate was 20% greater with the separating codends than with the normal codend in the single-species experiments. The rates in the two-species experiments were 30% or 20% greater than the single-species rates for the normal or separating codends, respectively. The seabream retention rates in the grid separator codend decreased as rockfish retention increased, possibly due to a threat effect. Conversely, the retention rate of both species increased concurrently in the net separator, possibly due to a masking effect. The escape rates of juvenile red seabream varied by compartment in the mesh separating codend. These results suggest that grid separating codends can be used in the field as towed fishing gear to reduce juvenile catch.