CEFAS102594ff-0257-47dd-b4d7-1ad5f5d319b0 English dataset Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft Laboratory (CEFAS) Cefas Lowestoft Laboratory Pakefield Road Lowestoft Suffolk NR33 0HT UK data.manager@cefas.co.uk pointOfContact 2021-12-14T12:45:04 EPSG Geodetic Parameter Registry 2022-01-07 revision WGS 84 North East Coast Net Grid Trials 2013/14 - Fisheries Science Partnership FSP North East Coast Net Grid Trials 2016-11-14 publication 2021-12-14 revision 2015-12-15 creation CEFAS3592 https://data.cefas.co.uk The twin rig trawler Aquarius II was chartered for ten days in September and October 2013 to undertake fishing trials in the Nephrops (*Nephrops norvegicus*) fishery off the North east coast of England. The aim of the work was to significantly reduce cod catches in this fishery through collective action with local fishing skippers. The practical approach taken was to insert a design concept under development known as the Net Grid into a trawl and to evidence changes in selectivity towards cod and other commercial species under normal fishing conditions. The objective of the work was to further develop this design with the aim of developing a trawl that reduces catches of cod in the English NE Nephrops trawl fishery without losing the target species of *Nephrops*. Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft Laboratory (CEFAS) Cefas Lowestoft Laboratory Pakefield Road Lowestoft Suffolk NR33 0HT UK data.manager@cefas.co.uk originator Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft Laboratory (CEFAS) Cefas Lowestoft Laboratory Pakefield Road Lowestoft Suffolk NR33 0HT UK data.manager@cefas.co.uk custodian Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft Laboratory (CEFAS) Cefas Lowestoft Laboratory Pakefield Road Lowestoft Suffolk NR33 0HT UK data.manager@cefas.co.uk distributor Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk owner Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft Laboratory (CEFAS) data.manager@cefas.co.uk owner notPlanned Crustacean Shellfish Advice Analysis Management Monitoring GEMET, version 1.0 2008-06-01 publication Fishing by-catch Shellfish abundance and biomass in water bodies SeaDataNet P02 parameter discovery vocabulary 2011-03-25 revision Species distribution GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0 2008-06-01 publication Benthic boundary SeaVoX Vertical Co-ordinate Coverages 2010-05-18 revision Marine Environmental Data and Information Network MEDIN metadata record availability 2012-01-11 publication data.gov.uk MEDIN metadata record availability 2012-01-11 publication otherRestrictions noLimitations otherRestrictions Public data - no limitations to reuse English biota -2.00 -0.50 54.50 55.25 2013-09-23 2013-10-18 Binary Unknown https://data.cefas.co.uk/view/3592 Cefas Data Portal download The Cefas Data Portal contains metadata records and data sets available to download and connect to in support of our commitment to open science. Data is available in the following formats: Binary download. dataset INSPIRE Data Specification on Species Distribution – Technical Guidelines 2013-12-10 publication false See the referenced specification Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services 2010-12-08 publication true See the referenced specification The vessel’s own commercial trawls were used for the trial. With the exception of the experimental modification, both trawls were of identical construction; the trawls had a 400 mesh x 80 mm fishing circle, with ground gear of 37m constructed from 15cm and 22cm rubber discs. The starboard trawl was altered by including the Net Grid modification which had a 200mm square mesh panel; the other was left in its standard commercial configuration with a 90mm square mesh panel to provide a direct comparison. The trawls complied with existing technical regulations and for the purpose of these trials were fitted with new, identical 85 mm cod ends. The trawls were towed simultaneously as a twin rig, using a 3-warp towing system with a 450 kg clump centre weight and spread using ThyborØn® 55 doors. Two versions of the Net Grid were tested. The "long" version (Version 1) was operated for 14 tows and the "short" version (Version 2) for 10.Tows of 3-5 hours duration, i.e. typical of normal commercial practice, were conducted in the Farne Deeps fishing grounds off the North East coast of England. Towing speed was on average between 2.0 and 2.7 knots. The area of the main Nephrops fishing grounds within the Farne Deeps is classed as Functional Unit 6 (FU6) in the North Sea Nephrops stock assessment and is very small and highly localised. All fishing took place in the statistical rectangles 38E9 and 39E9 in ICES area IVb, bottom depths ranged between 55 and 101 m. Fishing took place during daylight and darkness, however because Nephrops catches were negligible during darkness, priority was placed on achieving daylight tows. Version 1 of the Net Grid was operated from 23rd till the 26th of September and resumed on the 8th of October after a spell of South-easterly gales, till a period of Northerly gales interrupted trials after the 9th. Version 2 was operated in one continuous period between the 15th and 18th of October. MEDIN 3.1.1