Seasonal variation in mortality of red mullet (Mullus barbatus) escaping from codends of three different sizes in the Aegean Sea

Abstract

This study was performed off the southern coast of Yassıca Island in the Izmir Bay on the Turkish coast of the Aegean Sea to investigate the mortality of red mullet (Mullus barbatus, Mullidae) escaping through 40-mm square-mesh and 44- and 50-mm diamond-mesh codends attached to a conventional demersal trawl net. In total, 48 replicate experimental hauls were performed in the summer and winter of 2011 and 2012. Mean escape mortality for all hauls in winter (33.2%±6.51) was significantly higher (p