• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.62-69
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• 2011

The effects of actively stimulating devices (ASD) on juvenile flatfish escape were studied to increase escape rates from the cod end by encouraging fish to approach the net wall. Two kinds of ASD were designed: a fluttering net panel, i.e., a free-end flag-like net panel, and a double conical rope array. Escape responses of juvenile bastard halibut were observed in a circulating water channel using two model cod ends, one made with diamond-shaped 43-mm-mesh-size polyethylene (PE) as a high-contrast cod end and the other with polyamid (PA) mono-ply as a low-contrast cod end. Retention rate was significantly lower with the double conical rope-array ASD in the PE cod end than with conventional PE cod ends only or the fluttering net-panel ASD inside the PE cod end. Mean retention rate with the low-contrast PA cod end was also significantly lower than that with the high-contrast PE conventional cod end. Therefore, active fluttering devices using a double conical rope array together with less visible low-contrast netting in the cod end could help to reduce the bycatch of juvenile flatfish by weakening their optomotor response and actively driving fish to the side net panel.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.182-189
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• 2010

An active stimulating device (ASD) using a rope apparatus may operated by the flow of turbulence inside a cod end, generating variable stimuli in addition to flow-related effects to minimize the by-catch of juvenile fishes. Preliminary testing involved a hydrodynamic effect inside the cod end with a rotating rope kite or conical rope array to generate variable stimuli (visual stimuli, water flow, or physical contact with fish) to change fish position. The experimental rope kite offered more choice in rotating period and range of sweeping action; adjusting the towing line or flow velocity helped to drive fish toward the net panel and encouraged escape. The conical shape of the rope array in the cod end helped to clear a path for fish by disturbing the rigging and providing more contrast between objects, preventing an optomotor response. This enabled more black porgy to be herded toward the net at an early stage of towing. Therefore, either a conical rope array or a rotating rope kite can be used as an effective ASD to prevent juvenile by-catch.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.342-350
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• 2014

An active stimulating device, such as a fluttering net or canvas attached to the end of a cod end generating a shaking motion, could help to encourage the escape of juvenile fish positioned passively near the net. Field fishing trials using a shrimp beam trawl were carried out to examine the effect on the reduction of juvenile fish or other discard catch by generating a shaking movement of the cod end using an unbiased cap-like round canvas. The mean period of the shaking motion with the round canvas was ~14 s, and the mean amplitude was 0.4 m as measured by peak event analysis and the global wavelet method. The bycatch of juvenile fish in 14 trials decreased by ~30% and by ~25% using a steady cod end for the total bycatch using a shaking cod end in the shrimp beam trawl, while the marketing catch was similar between steady and shaking cod ends. There was no difference in the body size of the shrimp or fish and species composition between the steady and shaking cod ends. Above results demonstrate a new method for bycatch reduction using an active stimulating device, although more detailed studies are needed.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.101-108
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• 2013

An active stimulating device (ASD) consisting of a net panel or ropes fluttering in the turbulence inside the cod end was effective in driving fish near the cod end to reduce juvenile by-catch. The fluttering characteristics of the rope and net panel were examined by video observations and analyzed for fluttering amplitude and period in a water channel and in field experiments with a bottom trawl. The amplitude ratio of the fluttering ropes or nets in the tank test increased with the fluttering index as the diameter of the twine, mesh size, flexibility, and flow velocity changed, whereas the period decreased with the above factors. In bottom trawl experiments, the range of mean depth difference in the fluttering net panel was 12-17% of the length of the fluttering net, and the period of depth difference or three-dimensional (3D) tilt was revealed, with shorter ones ranging from 2 to 6 s. The amplitude as depth difference and period from field measurements were similar to those of nets in tank experiments and also to the period of 3D flow velocity inside the cod end. These results could be used to design an ASD that could be used for to the cod end of actual towed fishing gear to reduce juvenile by-catch.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.325-332
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• 2015

An active stimulating method for juvenile fishes to drive escaping from mesh of the codend was examined by shaking canvas in the bottom trawl followed by shrimp beam trawl. Field fishing trials by a bottom trawl were carried out between the Geomoondo and Jejudo in west of South sea, Korea by conver-net methods to examine the effect on the reduction of juvenile fish as a discard catch by generating a shaking movement of the codend using two pieces of asymmetrical semi-circular canvas. The mean period of the shaking motion with the round canvas was 10-15 s, and the range of amplitude as a vertical depth change was up to 0.4-0.6 m when towing speed 3.4-4.3 k't as estimated by peak event analysis. The escape rate of juvenile fish in conver-net by total juvenile bycatch (codend and cover-net) in 14 trials increased from 20% in a steady codend to 34% using a shaking codend in the bottom trawl, while the marketing catch or total bycatch was similar between steady and shaking cod ends. There was no difference in the body size of the fish and species composition between the steady and shaking cod ends. Above results demonstrate a new method for bycatch reduction actually up to 18% using an active stimulating device, although further experiments are needed to increase an effective shaking motion of the codend in amplitude and period for more bycatch reduction.