376 
Fishery Bulletin 11 7(4) 
North Carolina 
Albemarle Sound 
V . 
• 
>-v ■- " 
w *..- 
** 9 
x Pamlico Sound 
\ 
. .. . '"'New River 
Locations of gear testing 
^ kilometers 
W V E 0 
s 
25 
50 
Atlantic Ocean 
2015 
• 2016 
• 2017 
/ 
’ Cape Fear River 
Figure 3 
Map of the locations where tows for testing of modified commercial shrimp trawl gears were completed in 
Pamlico Sound and nearshore waters off North Carolina during 2015-2017. Medium gray, dark gray, and 
black circles indicate locations where testing was conducted in 2015, 2016, and 2017, respectively. 
configuration used by the industry at the time of the 
start of this study and was dictated by the NCMFC’s pre¬ 
ferred management strategy. 
The type, shape, frame size, and cover type (double 
or single) of TEDs were standardized on each test ves¬ 
sel. The orientation, either top or bottom, was identical 
for both control and test TEDs on each vessel; however, 
both bottom-opening and top-opening TEDs were tested 
throughout the study. Bar spacing of TEDs varied among 
control and experimental configurations as indicated in 
the next paragraph. 
Five experimental gear configurations were tested in 
2015, 4 configurations were tested in 2016, and 5 configu¬ 
rations were tested in 2017 (Table 1, Fig. 4). The first BRD 
tested in 2015 was a federally certified (by NOAA) compos¬ 
ite panel with a fish spooker cone (Table 1, Fig. 4). This gear 
consists of 2 composite panels installed in the lower part of 
the extension. The panels taper inward, creating an area 
with slow water flow that allows escape of fish through 
2 triangular openings. Each composite panel is composed 
of 2 overlapping panels, a diamond mesh panel and a 
square mesh panel. The diamond mesh panel reduces the 
water flow, and the square mesh panel provides support, 
preventing obstruction of the escape openings (NMFS 13 ). 
This net was also equipped with a single state fisheye. The 
next gear tested was equipped with a TED with reduced, 
7.62-cm bar spacing (hereafter referred to as reduced-bar 
TED ) (Table 1, Fig. 4 ). However, following a week of testing 
with this gear during which less than desired reductions 
in finfish bycatch were observed, the trial was terminated. 
The next gear tested was equipped with a reduced-bar 
TED and included a square mesh panel (on the codend) 
and a larger 4.76-cm stretch mesh codend (Table 1, Fig. 4). 
The square mesh panel was constructed of 8.89-cm stretch 
mesh and was 5 meshes wide and 12 meshes long. This net 
was also equipped with a single state fisheye. 
The fourth gear tested in 2015 was the Ricky BRD 
(Fig. 4), which is composed of a pair of diamond-shaped, 
federal fisheye BRDs (each with a 258-cm 2 opening) 
(hereafter referred to as federal fisheye ) with a float 
13 NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service). 2008. Recom¬ 
mended construction and installation instructions for the com¬ 
posite panel bycatch reduction device, 8 p. Harvest. Syst. Eng. 
Branch, Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv., NOAA, Pascagoula, MS. [Avail¬ 
able from website.] 
