South East Fishery (SEF) Ecosystem Study 1993-1996: Focussed habitat sampling - Gillnet and Fish Trap (Starfire 1997)

Focussed habitat re-sampling of macrohabitats (defined by bottom type, soft hard or rough) in three mesohabitats (key study areas presenting a variety of shelf habitats described by fishers) using gillnets and traps from a commercial vessel. Gillnets were deployed and retrieved at dawn and dusk giving near equal day/night soaking times. 19 deployments yielded 6,457 fish and squid weighing nearly 4 t. Fish and crab traps were set during the day only, yielding 979 fish specimens (589 kg) and squids and hermit crabs weighing 673 kg in total.