The European Union is implementing a sustainable fisheries management framework called the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries, with the main basis provided in the objectives of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Common Fishery Policy (landing obligation). As fishing can affect other components and not just targeted species, with for example physical damage to habitats or discarding of non-target species, the ecosystem as a whole must be considered.
Although the fleet has reduced since the mid-1990s, gill- and trammel nets still represent about 80% of the Danish fleet in number of vessels. Gill- and trammel nets have the advantage of low energy consumption and good size selectivity. However, there is limited knowledge about the ecosystem effects of bottom set nets. Focus was given to methodological development, catch pattern and habitat effects. Regarding catch pattern, one can intend to minimize the catch that is unwanted, or to maximize the part of the catch that is wanted, e.g., by adjusting the fishing tactic or by improving catch quality of the target species.
The limited information on passive gears is partly due to historical focus on active gears, but also because data collection and analysis calls for the development of appropriate innovative assessment methodologies to properly assess the new type of information which has to be gathered as part of an Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries. A stereo imaging method to assess in-situ the dynamic behavior of passive gears was identified, adapted, tested and used.
Comparing bottom set nets fishing operations can be challenging as the measure of fishing effort depends on various factors such as the combination of netting characteristics, net length, or soak time. Statistical methods that have recently been developed were identified and used for estimating the relative catch efficiency between two different designs of a passive fishing gear or to standardize data to a wide range of effort variables by including the landed portion of the fishing operation with the use of discard ratios.
Gear technologists can play a key role in searching for win-win solutions so that fishing can continue in an ecologically sustainable manner, i.e., avoiding unwanted catch and habitat damage. The selection properties of gillnets may be improved by changing the gear characteristics, e.g., mesh size or netting material, but in many cases the fisher’s operational tactic plays a preponderant role, as new selective technologies involving more complex gear are usually limited in passive fisheries. Gear technological considerations, i.e., gear design and operational tactics, can help to implement an Ecosystem Approach to the Danish bottom set nets fisheries. The effects of gear design, i.e., light and heavy nets, on habitat effects and fisher’s tactic, i.e., soak duration or choice of target species, on catch pattern and quality were explored.