An investigation into the potential for improving the selectivity for
whitefish in the North Sea Nephrops fishery using a cut-away headline trawl.
The main objectives were to obtain selectivity parameters of the cut-away
headline trawl and a typical Nephrops trawl in current use in the Farn
Deeps Nephrops fishery, for the main commercial by-catch species.
During October 2004, the commercial twin-rig trawler FV Success III carried
out trials to determine the selectivity characteristics of the cut-away
headline trawl and a standard *Nephrops *trawl currently in use in the
fishery. Success III was typical of this class of twin-rig vessel in the North
Sea *Nephrops *fishery. The vessel was chartered during the period 11
October – 24 October 2004.
The single rig vessels FV Endeavour and FV Trudie May were chartered for five
days between 10 February and 18 February 2005 to carry out parallel tows with
the two nets towed as single rigs.
