Promoting conservation through the improvement of cod pots - a low impact fishing gear and alternative harvesting strategy for Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in Newfoundland and Labrador

Meintzer, Phillip (2018) Promoting conservation through the improvement of cod pots - a low impact fishing gear and alternative harvesting strategy for Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in Newfoundland and Labrador. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

Pots are baited fishing gears that are growing in use as a tool for harvesting Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). To study how cod behaviours affect pot efficiency, I used underwater video cameras to assess two models of pot deployed in the Fogo Island fishery. Cod made few entry attempts relative to the number of approaches, and only 22% of entry attempts were successful. The majority of approaches, entry attempts, and successful entrances occurred from the down-current direction, and 25% of cod were able to escape following capture. Following video analysis, I made modifications to existing pots, and created a new design. I then collected catch and length data, across five models of pot, over two years, to determine the optimal design for a re-emergent cod fishery in NL. All five pots caught cod effectively, but the new and modified pots caught the most per deployment, and increasing mesh size was effective at reducing the number of undersized fish caught. This thesis demonstrates that modifications can have a substantial impact on catch rates, that potting gear is fundamentally sound, and fishermen can select a pot that is most appropriate to their needs.

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