ESPERIMENTI DI SELETTIVITA’ DELLA RETE A STRASCICO DI FONDO NELLA PESCA DEL GAMBERO VIOLA, ARISTEUS ANTENNATUS (RISSO, 1816), NEL MAR LIGURE

SELECTIVITY EXPERIMENTS OF BOTTOM TRAWL NET TARGETING BLUE AND RED SHRIMP, ARISTEUS ANTENNATUS (RISSO, 1816), IN THE LIGURIAN SEA

Abstract

The practice of discarding fish at sea poses a significant challenge for commercial fishing activities. This bycatch arises from non-selective fishing practices, leading to the capture of both target species and non-target species, often below legal size limits. The EU Multiannual Management Plan for western Mediterranean focuses on recovering target stocks and reducing mortality from fishing on juveniles also through selective fishing gear. A study was conducted on the fleet of Santa Margherita Ligure (Ligurian Sea, GSA 9), targeting the blue and red shrimp, Aristeus antennatus. The research tested larger mesh sizes to decrease the retention of juveniles. Notably, using larger codend mesh sizes (60 mm diamond and 50 mm square) significantly improved selectivity compared to the commercial 50 mm diamond mesh. While this approach led to economic loss in the short term, it could potentially benefit the stock’s health in the medium to long term by reducing juvenile catch and promoting the retention of larger, more valuable sizes.