Side-effects of electrotrawling: Exploring the safe operating space for Dover sole (Solea solea L.) and Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.)

Soetaert, Maarten; Decostere, Annemie; Verschueren, Bart; Saunders, Jimmy; Caelenberge, Annemie Van; Puvanendran, Velmurugu; Mortensen, Atle; Duchateau, Luc; Polet, Hans; Chiers, Koen

doi:10.1016/j.fishres.2016.01.019

Cited by 32 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Nevertheless, in 2009 European Union member states were granted an exemption permitting 5% of the fleet to use pulse trawls in the southern North Sea, which was extended to 10% of the fleet in early 2014. By January 2016, 91 vessels had already adopted this technique commercially, of which 1, 3, 10, and 77 have Belgian, UK, German, and Dutch licenses, respectively (Soetaert et al 2016). Although these vessels differ in rigging and the weight of fishing gear, their electrical parameters are similar and can be roughly divided into two pulse types as a function of the target species.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…The first type, constituting the vast majority of pulse vessels, targets flatfish, particularly Sole Solea solea (also known as Solea vulgaris). These electrotrawls use a bipolar cramp pulse with a frequency of around 80 Hz that elicits a cramp reaction in the fish's muscles which immobilizes it and causes it to bend into a U-shape (Soetaert et al 2016). As a consequence, Sole cannot flee and are more easily scooped up by the foot rope of the fishing gear, which increases catch efficiency (Soetaert et al 2015).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Laboratory Study of the Impact of Repetitive Electrical and Mechanical Stimulation on Brown Shrimp Crangon crangon

Soetaert

Verschueren²,

Chiers

et al. 2016

Mar Coast Fish

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Pulse trawling is currently the best available alternative to beam trawling in the brown shrimp Crangon crangon and Sole Solea solea (also known as Solea vulgaris) fisheries. To evaluate the effect of repetitive exposure to electrical fields, brown shrimp were exposed to the commercial electrodes and pulse settings used to catch brown shrimp (shrimp startle pulse) or Sole (Sole cramp pulse) 20 times in 4 d and monitored for up to 14 d after the first exposure. Survival, egg loss, molting, and the degree of intranuclear bacilliform virus (IBV) infection were evaluated and compared with those in stressed but not electrically exposed (procedural control) and nonstressed, nonexposed (control) brown shrimp as well as brown shrimp exposed to mechanical stimuli. The lowest survival at 14 d (57.3%) occurred in the Sole cramp pulse treatment, and this was significantly lower than in the group with the highest survival, the procedural control (70.3%). No effect of electrical stimulation on the severity of IBV infection was found. The lowest percentage of molts occurred in the repetitive mechanical stimulation treatment (14.0%), and this was significantly lower than in the group with the highest percentage of molts, the procedural control (21.7%). Additionally, the mechanically stimulated brown shrimp that died during the experiment had a significantly larger size than the surviving individuals. Finally, no effect of the shrimp startle pulse was found. Therefore, it can be concluded that repetitive exposure to a cramp stimulus and mechanical stimulation may have negative effects on the growth and/or survival of brown shrimp. However, there is no evidence that electrical stimulation during electrotrawls would have a larger negative impact on brown shrimp stocks than mechanical stimulation during conventional beam trawling.Received November 15, 2015; accepted May 16, 2016

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

Laboratory Study of the Impact of Repetitive Electrical and Mechanical Stimulation on Brown Shrimp Crangon crangon

Soetaert

Verschueren²,

Chiers

et al. 2016

Mar Coast Fish

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“…Four out of 45 cod exposed caught by electrotrawls were reported to have paravertebral haemorrhages (van Marlen et al, 2014). This was confirmed in laboratory experiments showing 0-70% spinal injuries in cod exposed near the electrodes (Soetaert et al, 2016a;de Haan et al, 2016). However, no effects were demonstrated in an identical experiment with the non-gadoid roundfish European seabass (Dicentrarchus Labrax L.) (Soetaert, 2015b), dogfish (Scyliorhinus Canicula L.) and dab (Limanda limanda L.) (de Haan et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 68%

“…However, no effects were demonstrated in an identical experiment with the non-gadoid roundfish European seabass (Dicentrarchus Labrax L.) (Soetaert, 2015b), dogfish (Scyliorhinus Canicula L.) and dab (Limanda limanda L.) (de Haan et al, 2015). Exposure of sole to a broad range of electric stimuli could also not provoque lesions or mortality (Soetaert et al, 2016a). Finally, no increased impact of electric cramp stimuli compared to conventional mechanical stimulation has been evidenced for invertebrate species either (Smaal and Brummelhuis, 2005;van Marlen et al, 2009;Soetaert et al, 2014;2016c).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reducing bycatch in beam trawls and electrotrawls with (electrified) benthos release panels

Soetaert

Lenoir²,

Verschueren³

2016

ICES Journal of Marine Science

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Benthos release panels (BRPs) are known for their capacity to release large amounts of unwanted benthos and debris, which can decrease mortality on these animals and eases the on board sorting process aboard demersal beam trawlers. They can reduce the bycatch of undersized fish, which is desired once the European discard ban is implemented. However, unacceptable commercial losses of sole (Solea solea L.) and damage to the BRP as a consequence of suboptimal and unsuitable rigging in the traditional beam trawl with chain mat, is hampering a successful introduction in commercial beam-trawl fisheries. To eliminate these drawbacks, square-meshed BRPs with different mesh sizes (150, 200, and 240 mm) were rigged in a trawl with square net design as used in electrotrawls and tested for selectivity. In addition to this, the effect of electric stimulation at the height of the BRP to eliminate the loss of commercial sole was examined. According to our observations, no abrasion of the net attributable to suboptimal rigging occurred in any of the BRPs tested. The catch comparisons showed significant release of benthos and undersized fish in all panel mesh sizes, but there was always a significant loss of marketable sole in the 150, 200, and 240 mm BRPs. Adding a 80 Hz electric cramp stimulus to the BRP, resulted in equal catches of sole larger than 25 cm as the standard net, without negatively affecting the release of benthos and most undersized commercial fish. This clearly demonstrates the promising potential of electrified BRPs (eBRPs), but further optimization by using smaller BRP mesh sizes or optimized electric stimuli is warranted to retain all marketable sole.

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“…In the marketable sized cod, the fracture probability decreased with body size in marketable sized cod. In another experiments with cod with similar pulse settings and similar location of the cod next to the conductor, much fewer fractures were observed, suggesting that body condition may influence the sensitivity for injuries (Soetaert et al, 2016a). Cod exposed to a homogeneous electric field with a range of pulse settings, including those of the commercial fisheries, did not show any abnormalities when examined histologically, except for 1 cod showing a spinal fracture (Soetaert et al, 2015).…”

Section: Laboratory Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Pulse fishing and its effects on the marine ecosystem fisheries : an update of the scientific knowledge

Rijnsdorp¹,

Haan²,

Smith³

et al. 2016

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Side-effects of electrotrawling: Exploring the safe operating space for Dover sole (Solea solea L.) and Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.)

Cited by 32 publications

References 29 publications

Laboratory Study of the Impact of Repetitive Electrical and Mechanical Stimulation on Brown Shrimp Crangon crangon

Laboratory Study of the Impact of Repetitive Electrical and Mechanical Stimulation on Brown Shrimp Crangon crangon

Reducing bycatch in beam trawls and electrotrawls with (electrified) benthos release panels

Pulse fishing and its effects on the marine ecosystem fisheries : an update of the scientific knowledge

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