| Abstrakt: |
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a circle hook ring on catch rates of target fish species and bycatch rates of sea turtles, elasmobranchs, and non-commercial fish in a shallow-set Italian swordfish longline fishery., Results were compared from 65 sets from six commercial fishing vessels totalling 50 800 hooks in which ringed and non-ringed 16/0 circle hooks with a 10° offset were alternated along the length of the longline. In total, 464 individuals were caught in the 4 years of experiment, with swordfish ( Xiphias gladius) comprising 83% of the total number of animals captured. Catch rates of targeted swordfish were significantly higher on ringed hooks (CPUEringed hooks = 8.465, CPUEnon-ringed hooks = 6.654)., Results indicate that ringed circle hooks captured significantly more small-sized swordfish than non-ringed circle hooks (27.7% vs. 19.5%, respectively)., For species with sufficient sample sizes, the odds ratio (OR) of a capture was in favour of ringed hooks; significantly for swordfish (OR = 1.27 95%CI 1.04-1.57), and not significantly for bluefin tuna ( Thunnus thynnus) (OR = 1.50, 95%CI 0.68-3.42) nor for pelagic stingray ( Pteroplatytrigon violacea) (OR = 1.13, 95%CI 0.54-2.36). All six loggerhead turtles ( Caretta caretta) and three of the four blue sharks ( Prionace glauca) were captured on ringed hooks, however, the small sample sizes prevented meaningful statistical analysis., In summary, results from this study suggest that the addition of a ring to 16/0 circle hooks confers higher catchability for small-sized commercial swordfish, and does not significantly reduce catch rate of bycatch species and protected species in a Mediterranean shallow pelagic longline fishery., These findings should motivate fisheries managers to consider factors in addition to hook shape when aiming to promote sustainable fishing practices. The presence of a ring has the potential to negate some conservation benefits., Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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