Protected Species Gear Research

On-going projects

Protected Species Gear Research Reports
click on report title to download a full
PDF of the report (not all reports are downloadable)

• Study on mitigating harbor porpoise bycatch using the Barium sulfate gillnets and gillnets with thicker twine.

Status: Contract awarded to AIS.

• Study on the effectiveness of a modified dredge to guide turtle carcasses over the dredge frame.

Status: Contract was awarded to Coonamessett Farm for this project. Final report has been received and was posted (10/24/2008).

• Study on catch retention using a large TED opening in the summer flounder trawl fishery.

Status: Contract awarded to GMRI.

• Study on catch retention  in the scallop trawl fishery using a TED.

  Status: Contract awarded to DAI.

• Development of a data logger to assess tow time durations.

Status: Contract awarded to Onset Computers

• Dredge construction and a study on the catch comparison between the new dredge design and the traditional scallop dredge.

Status: Contract awarded to Coonamessett Farm. Second year of field-testing; more testing scheduled for the summer and fall 2009.

Links

Northeast Regional Office, Protected Resources Division

Southeast Regional Office, Protected Resources Division

Southwest Regional Office, Protected Resources Division

Northwest Regional Office, Protected Resources Division

Alaska Regional Office, Protected Resources Division

Pacific Islands Regional Office, Protected Resources Division

NOAA Fisheries Office of Science and Technology

NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources

NOAA Fisheries Office of Sustainable Fisheries

Click HERE for a file on two flounder TED designs.

We are asking for feedback on which design has will have better catch retention and acceptance by the fishing industry. Please submit feedback in the forum (Click here to enter forum).Please submit comments before Dec 31, 2008.

2008

1. DeAlteris J, Silva R. 2008. Performance in 2004 and 2005 of an alternative leader design on the bycatch of sea turtles and the catch of finfish in Chesapeake Bay pound nets, offshore Kiptopeake, VA. [Final report; 47 p.] NOAA Contract No. EA1330-04-RQ-0076 and EA133F-05-RQ-1321.
2. Haas, H., E. LaCasella, R. LeRoux, H. O. Milliken, and B. Hayward. 2008. Characteristics of sea turtles incidentally captured in the U.S. Atlantic sea scallop dredge fishery. Fisheries Research Volume 93, Issue 3, 28 September 2008, Pages 289-295.
3. Smolowitz R, Weeks M, Morin M. 2008. Assessing the Efficacy of the Coonamessett Farm (Cfarm) Turtle Excluder Sea Scallop Dredge in Reducing Injury to Loggerhead Sea Turtle Carcasses. [Project Report, 30 p.] NOAA Contract No. EN133F07SE3189.

2007

1. Lawson D, DeAlteris J, Parkins C. 2007. An evaluation of the catch efficiency of the NMFS certified, standard Turtle Excluder Device (TED) required in the Mid-Atlantic summer flounder fishery. [Summary report; 26 p + appendix] NOAA Contract No. EA133F-05-SE-6561. NOTE: Appendix has several odd-sized pages with very small type; use Acrobat's magnification tool (400-600%).
2. DeAlteris J. 2007. Workshop to discuss bycatch reduction technologies to reduce sea turtle bycatch in Southern New England and mid-Atlantic inshore trawl fisheries. [Summary report; 8 p] NOAA Contract No. EA133F-05-SE6561
3. NEFSC Reference Document: Evaluation of a Modified Scallop Dredge’s Ability to Reduce the Likelihood of Damage to Loggerhead Sea Turtle Carcasses, by HO Milliken, L Belskis, W DuPaul, J Gearhart, H Haas, J Mitchell, R Smolowitz, W Teas. April 2007

2006

1. American Underwater Search and Survey, Ltd. 2006.  Sonar survey of crab and whelk pot gear in the lower Chesapeake Bay, Virginia:  May-June 2006.  [Final report; 24 p.] NOAA Contract No. EN133F-05-SE-5190.
2. DeAlteris Associates Inc. 2006.  Sea turtle-pot fishery interaction survey:  Chesapeake Bay and coastal waters of Virginia.  [Final report; 28 p.] NOAA Contract No. EN133F-05-SE-6758.
3. Lawson DD, DeAlteris JT. 2006. Evaluation of a turtle excluder device (TED) in the scallop trawl fishery of the mid-Atlantic. [Final report; 145 p] NOAA Contract No. EA133F-05-SE6561
4. Smolowitz R, Weeks M. 2006. Turtle-scallop dredge interaction study: 2005 field season. [Final report; 44 p] NOAA Contract No. EA133F-05-SE4860

2005

1. Smolowitz, R. 2005. Sea turtle - scallop dredge interactions. [Videotape accompanying final report; 656 MB.] NOAA Contract No. EA133F04SE0968.
2. Smolowitz, R.; Harnish, C.; Rudders, D. 2005. Turtle - scallop dredge interaction study. [Final report; 83 p.] NOAA Contract No. EA133F-04-SE0968.
3. Zollett, E.A.; Rosenberg, A.A.  2005.  A review of cetacean bycatch in trawl fisheries.  [Final report; 35 p.] NOAA Contract No. EN133F04SE1048.

2004

1. American Underwater Search and Survey, Ltd. 2004. Sonar survey of six pound net leaders off Kiptopeke, Chesapeake Bay, Virginia. [Final report; 6 p.] NOAA Contract No. EA133F04SE0646.
2. DeAlteris, J.; Chosid, D.; Silva, R.; Politis, P. 2004. Evaluation of the performance of an alternative leader design on the bycatch of sea turtles and the catch of finfish in Chesapeake Bay pound nets, offshore Kiptopeake, Va. [Fin report; 14 p. + app.] NOAA Contract No. EA133F04SE0665.
3. DuPaul, W.D.; Rudders, D.B., Smolowitz. 2004. Industry trials of a modified sea scallop dredge to minimize the catch of sea turtles. [Final report; Va. Inst. Mar. Sci. Mar. Resourc. report 2004-12; 35 p.] NOAA Contract No. EA133F03SE0235.