Date of Award
Spring 5-2016
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.S.
Degree Program
Earth and Environmental Sciences
Department
Earth and Environmental Sciences
Major Professor
Dr. Martin O'Connell
Second Advisor
Dr. Ioannis Georgiou
Third Advisor
Dr. Read Hendon
Abstract
The Wing Trawling System (WTS) was tested as an alternative to traditional shrimp capture methods in the Gulf. Compared to an otter trawl, this trawl was conceived to reduce bycatch, retain shrimp catch, and minimize seafloor disturbance. Through seventy-one paired tows, the WTS was assessed against a standard otter trawl. The WTS was found to reduce bycatch by 63-65% and reduce shrimp catch by 30-35%. Additionally, I measured the depth of the scars produced by both trawls and quantified the turbidity of the plumes behind them. The scars left by the WTS and the otter trawl were between 9.9 cm-13.6 cm. The turbidity behind the WTS was 18.6 NTU, while the turbidity behind the otter trawl was 206.8 NTU. In conclusion, the WTS offers an alternative to an otter trawl that reduces bycatch and the impact trawling has on the seafloor but results in a significant amount of shrimp loss.
Recommended Citation
Udoff, Geoffrey, "An Alternate Trawling Method: Reduced Bycatch and Benthic Disturbance Achieved with the Wing Trawling System" (2016). University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations. 2217.
https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/2217
Rights
The University of New Orleans and its agents retain the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible this dissertation or thesis in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. The author retains all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis or dissertation.