The Effect of Using Trammel in Red Mullet Species Fishing Nets on Catch Efficiency and By-catch

Abstract This study was conducted to determine the effect of using trammel in nets on catch efficiency and bycatch used by small-scale fishermen for catching red mullet species ( Mullus barbatus, Mullus surmuletus , Linnaeus 1758). Within the scope of the study, a total of 28 trials were conducted along the coasts of Çanakkale Province between March and June 2023. In the trials, a total of 31 species belonging to 17 families were captured. A total of 1706 fish weighing 99.906 kg were caught with trammel nets having a 20 mm mesh size, and 1534 fish weighing 92.468 kg were caught with gillnets of 20 mm mesh size. The number of red mullet species, was 107 in trammel nets and 230 in gillnets. The target species were caught 2.15 times more in gillnets than trammel nets. 25 species were caught with trammel nets and 19 species with gillnets. While sensitive species like the Squatina squatina and Scyliorhinus canicula were caught in trammel nets, no sensitive species were caught in gillnets. In by-catches, trammel nets caught 1.27 times more than gillnets (P < 0.05). Therefore, gillnets used for red mullet fishing along the North Aegean coast have been found to be more efficient.