Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

CS14 Fish and Fisheries: Environmental Quality and Ecology

Date: Thursday, February 15, 2001, Time: 4:00:00 PM

Location: Sandia/Santa Ana

Bochenek, E, A, Rutgers University/Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory, Cape May, NJ, USA, bochenek@hsrl.rutgers.edu

Powell, E, N, Rutgers University/Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory, Port Norris, NJ, USA, eric@hsrl.rutgers.edu

Banta, S, E, Rutgers University/Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory, Port Norris, NJ, USA, banta@hsrl.rutgers.edu

Bonner, A, J, Rutgers University/Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory, Port Norris, NJ, USA, bonner@hsrl.rutgers.edu

SCUP BYCATCH IN THE SMALL-MESH FISHERIES OF THE MID-ATLANTIC

Due to regulations, market factors, and other reasons commercial fishermen discard some of their catch. Discarding is estimated to be high in scup and small-mesh fisheries. The objective was to evaluate bycatch in three Mid-Atlantic small-mesh fisheries, Loligo squid, whiting and Atlantic mackerel with a focus on the spatial and temporal distribution of bycatch of non-target commercial species and the importance of fishing practices in determining bycatch of non-target commercial species. Data were obtained from NMFS observer program reports for trips targeting Loligo squid, whiting, mackerel and scup from 1997 - mid-2000. Scup was not a significant bycatch species in any of the three small-mesh fisheries. In directed Loligo tows, scup catch was 0.9% of total catch and even lower for mackerel and whiting. The occurrence of tows with high scup catches has a significant spatial and temporal pattern, but the pattern is stable only over small spatial and temporal scales. Data do not auger well for the development of a simple regulatory scheme that will achieve a significant reduction in scup discards in small-mesh fisheries using gear restricted areas.

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Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

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