Cod end configurations in the Farne Deeps 2017/18 - Fisheries Science Partnership

This work was carried out as part of the Fisheries Science Partnership (FSP) programme. The twin rig trawler *Nimrod *was chartered to undertake trials in a *Nephrops *(*Nephrops norvegicus*) fishery. Eleven days of fishing trials were conducted in the Farne Deeps (FU6: IVb; 38E8,38E9,39E9,40E8 and 40E9) fishing grounds off the North‐East coast of England in November and December 2017. This enabled catch comparisons of five cod ends of varying mesh size, twine thickness and ircumference to be examined. The primary objective of this work was to compare the catch rates of these cod ends as those conforming to the latest licence conditions were suggested to be counterproductive by the industry. These measures were introduced in April 2016 following concerns of historical overexploitation of *Nephrops *in the Farne Deeps. The specific object of the project was to develop an optimum cod end construction to reduce catches of small *Nephrops*. A total of 27 hauls were completed for eleven days fishing, with 26 of these considered valid for examination.