2004 Trawl Gear Selectivity Workshop

The Marine Institute's Center for Sustainable Aquatic Resources has hosted another successful Trawl Gear Workshop for New England's fishermen, scientists, and fisheries managers. During May 10-16, 2004, 22 people from Maine to Rhode Island (and one from North Carolina) traveled to St. John's, Newfoundland where Memorial University houses the largest flume tank of its kind in the world. The workshop included demonstrations of trawl gear designs in the tank, presentations and discussions led Marine Institute staff on selective fishing gear technology, fish biology, and current fisheries management challenges in Newfoundland. There were field trips to see local fishing vessels and processing facilities, and of course, opportunities to take in all the best that Newfoundland has to offer!

This trip was led by Dr. Pingguo He of the University of New Hampshire and was funded by a competitive grant from the Northeast Consortium. Click here to read a daily travel log of the trip written by workshop participant Rachel Gallant, Fisheries Specialist at the Northeast Consortium. The next workshop is expected to occur in the spring of 2005. Additional announcements will follow, but if you are interested in attending a workshop in the future, you may contact Dr. He at (603) 862-3154 or pingguo.he@unh.edu.