Diamond- vs. square-mesh codend selectivity in southeastern Australian estuarine squid trawls

This study was predicated by a recent management proposal to mandate square-mesh codends in an Australian estuarine squid trawl fishery, based on their improvements to the selectivity of penaeid trawls deployed across comparable temporal and spatial scales. The assumption of no impacts of a codend cover on the performance of a squid trawl was validated before it was used to quantify the size and species selection of a conventional codend made from 41-mm diamond-shaped mesh and two new designs made from 29- and 32-mm mesh hung on the bar (i.e. square shaped). Compared to the 41-diamond codend, both square-mesh designs incrementally and significantly reduced the catches of a small legally retained teleost (whitebait Hyperlophus vittatus), but had no significant effect on discarded catches (termed ‘bycatch’). The 32-square codend also significantly increased the sizes at 50% probability of retention for the targeted squid (Luminous Bay squid Loliolus noctiluca and broad squid Photololigo etheridgei), across narrow selection ranges and, because all sizes are retained, consequently reduced their total landed catches. The results support the utility of square-mesh for consistently improving and maintaining lateral openings in codends, but the management of this fishery means that such configurations would result in economic loss, and for the 29- and 32-square codends, no concomitant reduction in bycatch. This study reiterates the need for bycatch issues to be clearly identified and defined on a fishery-specific basis, and prior to the implementation of mitigation measures.