NOTE Rey and Munoz-Chapuli: Relation between hook depth and hook catch rates in surface longline gear 



731 



The ratios described in the results suggest that a 

 better catch could be obtained with a different basket 

 shape. Thus, by eliminating the deepest hooks, a 

 smaller basket would be produced with most of the 

 hooks placed in the depth range that demonstrated 

 better fishing efficiency. 



It should be noted that these data are valid only for 

 particular spatial-temporal conditions, and they depend 

 on environmental and biological variables such as 

 temperature, light level, current, behavior, and food 

 availability. Notwithstanding, our results show that 

 further comparative and experimental studies on long- 

 line gear design could significantly improve the yield 

 of fishing operations. 



Acknowledgments 



We thank Dr. Guido Dingerkus, Museum Nationale 

 d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, for his review of the manu- 

 script and for his valuable suggestions. Monica Jimenez 

 made the drawing. 



Citations 



Carey, F.G., and B.H. Robison 



1981 Daily patterns in the activities of swordfish, Xiphias 



gladius observed by acoustic telemetry. Fish. Bull., U.S. 



79:277-292. 

 Rey, J.C., and R. Munoz-Chapuli 



In press Intra and interspecific association of large pelagic 



fishes inferred from catch data of surface longline. Environ. 



Biol. Fishes. 



