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The fate of discarded juvenile brown shrimps (Crangon crangon) in the Solway Firth UK fishery

Lookup NU author(s): Professor Christopher Frid

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Abstract

The extent of discarding and the survival of juvenile brown shrimps (Crangon crangon) was investigated during a 3 year study of the commercial fishing fleet in the Solway Firth (UK) brown shrimp fishery. Shrimps of 9 mm carapace length and above were considered of marketable size, while those below 9 mm were regarded as undersized. Of all C. crangon captured 52% were below the marketable size. The riddles used to separate the catch rejected 89% of these undersized C. crangon, the remaining 11% were cooked along with the commercial sized shrimps. This study found that 99% of discarded undersized shrimps were returned to the sea alive and after 24 h it was estimated that 92% would have survived. The riddling process did not significantly reduce their survival rate, however, riddling occasionally resulted in the loss of antennae or a telson. Estimates of bird predation on living C. crangon discards ranged from 0.5 to 4.5%. Combining these survival data it was estimated that between 77 and 80% of all undersized C. crangon entering a shrimp beam trawl would survive, depending on the level of bird predation. In view of this high survival level the introduction of a minimum size/count would be an effective management measure to ensure that juvenile C. crangon are not landed if market conditions became favourable for small shrimps. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Lancaster J, Frid CLJ

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Fisheries Research

Year: 2002

Volume: 58

Issue: 1

Pages: 95-107

ISSN (print): 0165-7836

ISSN (electronic): 1872-6763

Publisher: Elsevier BV

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0165-7836(01)00357-5

DOI: 10.1016/S0165-7836(01)00357-5


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