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Evaluation Of A Turtle Excluder Device (Ted) Design For Use In The Cannonball Jellyfish Fishery Operating In Georgia’S Territorial Waters: February 2014 To February 2017
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2017
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[PDF-2.21 MB]
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Description:The cannonball jellyfish (Stomolophus meleagris), often referred to as a “jellyball,” is a common Cnidarian species commercially harvested in state and federal waters adjacent to Georgia. The harvest of jellyfish worldwide has occurred for centuries, and by the 1990’s an increased demand for product for human consumption resulted in new fishing opportunities in the southeastern U.S. In 1998, the first experimental permit was issued in Georgia to allow selected fishers the opportunity to harvest and land jellyballs. Requirements of the experimental permit included the mandated use of a turtle excluder device (TED) approved by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Since the onset, several fishers have indicated to Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR) staff that the NMFS approved TEDs (typically the “Georgia Jumper”, with its maximum of four inches of space between the vertical metal bars), negatively impact catches. In their claims, fishers state the devices reduce both the amount and size of jellyballs retained in nets ‐ due to larger specimens unable to pass through the TED spacing being extruded through the device’s escape panel opening. The negative impacts on catches caused by the TED have encouraged many fishers to abandon their fishing efforts in state waters and instead concentrate on adjacent federal waters (3 ‐200 miles offshore) where TEDs are not required. In an effort to address this issue, Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR) partnered with the College of Coastal Georgia (CCGA), University of Georgia’s Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant staff, and local jellyball fishers to develop and evaluate new TED designs to potentially increase jellyball retention in nets while still promoting sea turtle exclusion. To develop a baseline, 35 paired tows were conducted between a net with no TED (naked) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) certified “Georgia Jumper” TED with four inch vertical bar spacing. Results suggest a significant different in catch between the TED and naked nets, with the TED catching 23.6% less per haul (1753 vs 2167 kg/trawl). Additionally, a bell width (relaxed) analysis of 2102 specimens found mean size to be significantly larger in the naked net with a greater difference in catch at the larger size classes. Several new TED designs were proposed by industry leaders and the decision was made to examine an 8x8 inch gridded design. A total of 22 paired tows were conducted with this TED and a naked net. There was no significant different in catches of paired trawls (Mean Catch: TED: 1749 + 386 kg; Naked: 1754 +361 kg), with the size analysis of 1057 specimens indicating no significant difference overall in relaxed bell width, or from specific size classes. In addition to TED testing, several smaller projects were accomplished by the faculty and students at CCGA. An examination of the relationship between jellyballs and spider crabs, Libinia dubia, indicated 40.6% of jellyballs were associated with at least one spider crab. However, there was no relationship between the jellyball diameter and the crab carapace width. A second study still results indicating a significant positive relationship between relaxed bell width and weight (r = 0.94, N = 371). There is a large interest in this species and the fishery – offering numerous outreach and education opportunities. The fishery has been the subject of many newspaper and magazine articles, documentaries, and even a television series presently in production in Darien, GA. The attention received, both good and bad, and the fishery’s ever increasing importance to Georgia’s commercial fishing industry, make proper management even more important to insure its continued success while maintaining a conservative approach for the ecosystem. The TED examinations under taken by this study show the inefficiency of the present certified TED in the cannonball jelyball trawl fishery, and the need for developing and certifying new designs for use in both state and federal waters. underway, examined the relationship of cannonball morphometrics to weight, with preliminary
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Sea Grant Document Number:GAUS-T-17-004
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