2009 - 2009 Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science (Cefas) Bristol Channel Bass Selectivity Survey 2009/10 - Fisheries Science Partnership

This work was part of the Fisheries Science Partnership (FSP), a Defra-funded collaborative programme of scientific research between the UK fishing industry and scientists. Local trawlermen working in the Bristol Channel and the South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee suggested that square-mesh panels fitted into trawls used to catch bass could reduce discards of undersize bass. A trawl was modified to incorporate a square-mesh section and was tested on board the MFV Cerulean against a control trawl. In August 2009, 46 hauls were conducted. Catches were sampled and video footage was taken of fish behaviour at the square-mesh section.