Effects of Two Alternative TED Designs on Catch Performance in the Summer Flounder Trawl Fishery

The interaction between sea turtles and commercial trawl fishing gear in the east coast trawl fisheries has proven to be a major concern for fishermen and fisheries managers. Turtle excluder devices (TEDs) have been proven effective at reducing sea turtle bycatch in shrimp trawl fisheries historically known to catch sea turtles. An evaluation of the performance of the TED in the summer flounder fishery of southern New England and the mid-Atlantic was conducted during the summers of 2007 and 2009. The results of the 2007 study using the approved 51” x 32” National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) TED against a control (no TED) showed a significant reduction (35%) in the total weight summer flounder. There was no indication of a change in size selection in the TED equipped trawl, indicating the loss of summer flounder is a function of a loss of flounder of all size classes out the TED opening. The results of the 2009 study comparing the previously tested TED against a 48” x 72” northeast (NE) modified TED with leatherback opening showed a 13% improvement in retention of the targeted summer flounder catch. Again, there was also no indication of change in size selection between the TEDs.  In the economic impact assessment of the fishery, an overall reduction in summer flounder catch of 27% has been used by NMFS. We believe that this is an undesirable loss to pass onto the commercial fishing industry and demonstrates the need to develop an alternative technology that will minimally affect target species catch, while protecting sea turtles.