This work was part of the Fisheries Science Partnership (FSP), a Defra-funded
collaborative programme of scientific research between the UK fishing industry
and scientists. Local trawlermen working in the Bristol Channel and the South
Wales Sea Fisheries Committee suggested that square-mesh panels fitted into
trawls used to catch bass could reduce discards of undersize bass. A trawl was
modified to incorporate a square-mesh section and was tested on board the MFV
Cerulean against a control trawl.
In August 2009, 46 hauls were conducted. Catches were sampled and video
footage was taken of fish behaviour at the square-mesh section.