SQUARE MESH COD END SELECTIVITY FOR WEAKFISH, CYNOSCION REGALIS ,
IN THE NORTH CAROLINA FLYNET FISHERY
261
J.P. Monaghan, Jr.
North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries
3441 Arendell Street
Morehead City, NC U.S.A.
ABSTRACT
The retention capabilities of cod
ends were evaluated in the flynet
fishery for weakfish (Cynoscion
regalis) . Square mesh cod ends
were compared to diamond mesh cod
ends (=control) , using the alter¬
nate haul method. Weakfish
retention lengths (L50) for 64 mm
(2% in} , 70 mm (2% in) , and 76 mm
(3 in) square mesh cod ends were
222 mm (8.7 in), 236 mm (9.3 in),
and 312 mm (12.3 in) fork length.
Selection factors were 3.5, 3.4,
and 4.1.
INTRODUCTION
The North Carolina coastal fishing
industry contributes over $500
million to the state's economy each
year. A number of problems exist
in North Carolina's fisheries.
These problems include large land¬
ings of non-target juvenile finfish
species (scrap) , decreased landings
of important finfish (summer floun¬
der, Paralichthys dentatus and
weakfish, Cynoscion regalis ) ,
decreased size of finfish landed
(Atlantic croaker, Micropogonias
undulatus , and weakfish) , and
increased pressure on the resource
by the various user groups.
The average size of finfish landed
has decreased in recent years and
the scrap component has increased.1
Scrap consists mainly of small
weakfish, Atlantic croaker, and
spot, Leiostomus xanthurus . In the
flynet fishery (otter trawl for
finfish) , large weakfish have
almost disappeared from the catch.1
The east coast weakfish stock
assessment, conducted by the
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries
Commission (ASMFC) , revealed an
annual exploitation rate of 52%. 2
The assessment also indicated that
the weakfish age composition was
truncated, and the stock was
comprised mainly of 0 and 1 year
old fish. The size distribution of
Atlantic croaker taken by flynets
has also shifted towards smaller
fish. Reported flynet catches of
scrap have been as high as
4,078,951 kg (8,992,398 lb) in a
year.1 The scrap component has
represented approximately 50% of
the flynet landings in recent
years.1 Reduction of the scrap
component may allow more fish to
reach market size and increase the
yield to all user groups.
The North Carolina Division of
Marine Fisheries (NCDMF) and ASMFC
recognized that size limits,
bycatch restrictions, and seasonal
closures would not eliminate the
catch of small weakfish in the
Pages 305-309 in Proceedings of MTS '92: Global Ocean Partnership,
Volume I. Marine Technology Society, Washington, D.C.
305
