Area VII Haddock Discard Eliminations using Technical Measures 2014/15 - Fisheries Science Partnership

Following experimental work carried out in 2013, a twin-rig trawler, the Ilfracombe-based *Our Olivia Belle *(BD 277), was chartered to undertake further trials of a modified demersal trawl in August 2014 to look at selectivity in a mixed demersal fishery off south-west Cornwall. The primary aim was to improve the selectivity of the trawl to reduce discards of unwanted haddock with the least possible impact on the wanted catches of haddock and other commercial species. This is important in view of the future implementation of the landings obligation and associated catch quotas for species such as haddock. Following discussions with several Newlyn-based trawler operators, the decision was taken to investigate the effect of inserting square-mesh panels (SQMP) of 155 mm mesh into the top panel of the lengthener of an otter trawl. A twin-rig trawl, deployed as for normal haddock fishing, was used to compare the catches of modified and standard trawl nets in a series of tows on the fishing grounds off SW Cornwall.