Effects of codend mesh shape on catch selectivity in bottom trawl

This study aimed to investigate the catch selectivity characteristics related to the mesh arrangement of the codend in bottom trawl. Sea trials were conducted using the covered codend method from January 16 to 17, 2024, off the southern coast of Gyeongsangnam-do, focusing on the side panels of diamond and square mesh codend. A probit model was used in the selectivity analysis to estimate retention probability curves for sea pike comparing the  , , and  selectivity lengths, the selection range ( ), and the corresponding  and  values. The estimated 50% selection lengths were 23.82 cm for the diamond mesh and 25.20 cm for the square mesh whereas the corresponding selection ranges were 5.23 cm for the diamond mesh and 3.71 cm for the square mesh. The  and  values for the square mesh were lower, at 35.91 and 36.71, respectively, compared to 37.65 and 38.45 for the diamond mesh. Additionally, the retention probability at a fork length of 15 cm was lower for the square mesh than for the diamond mesh. These findings provide practical insights for gear design while contributing to the reduction of bycatch and small size fish catches in bottom trawl.