Characterization and Evaluation of Bycatch Reduction Devices in the Gulf Menhaden Fishery

Bycatch reduction is a major issue in many U.S. fisheries, and workers in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico menhaden industry have used bycatch reduction devices since the 1950s. Currently industry workers employ a hose cage and a large fish excluder, usually in combination, to reduce the retention of large bycatch species (defined here as any vertebrate species 1.0 m or greater in total length). In this paper, we examine the effectiveness of these devices to reduce large bycatch and recommend possible modifications of the devices to further reduce the bycatch. A principal component analysis was conducted to assess possible groupings of bycatch reduction devices. The analysis suggested that a hose cage with a larger area and smaller openings would be effective at mitigating the retention of large bycatch.