Gearing up: Methods for quantifying gear density for fixed-gear commercial fisheries in the U.S. Atlantic

Fixed-gear commercial fisheries are unique due to their occupancy nature,
claiming areas of the ocean for discrete periods. As space conflicts arise
from competing ocean uses, there is an increased need to understand and
categorize fixed-gear fisheries to incorporate into marine spatial
planning (MSP) efforts. We used fishery-dependent data and input from
stakeholders to discern fleet dynamics of all gillnet and trap/pot
fisheries in U.S. waters of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. A Fixed-Gear
Fishery Layer (FGFL) was developed combining fishery subgroups that were
categorized around gear type, gear configuration, and species landed.
Fishing effort from each subgroup was spatially allocated onto a 1 sq nm
(1.9 sq km) grid using methods that relied on the level of detail
available from trip reporting and monitoring, each with differing degrees
of spatial resolution. This stepwise process allowed trips reported with
minimal spatial detail to be included while not compromising trips where
greater spatial precision existed. We demonstrate how the FGFL has been
used for two MSP projects focused on protected species conservation and
wind energy development.