Factors of Yellowtail Flounder Bycatch in the Sea Scallop Fishery

Reduced catch limits of Georges Bank yellowtail flounder (Limanda ferruginea) in recent years have become a constraint to New England fisheries, including the Atlantic sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) fishery, in which yellowtail flounder are caught as bycatch. As a complement to an existing bycatch avoidance program, we are examining the use of environmental variables as predictive factors for bycatch occurrence through exploratory statistical analysis and generalized model building. Despite an existing body of literature on factors that determine yellowtail flounder abundance, there is limited information available on the relationships between bycatch of yellowtail flounder in the scallop fishery and environmental factors. Data from three sources will be analyzed to develop models of yellowtail flounder bycatch in the scallop fishery in response to depth, temperature, substrate, month, and location. Results will be useful for predicting the magnitude and location of bycatch prior to fishery openings and may aid in enhancing the bycatch avoidance efforts of the scallop fleet. Fishery management can be improved by using such information to refine spatial and seasonal regulations for more effective avoidance of yellowtail flounder, resulting in low-cost proactive bycatch mitigation measures.