A Comparison of Catches by 3- and 4-Inch Rings on Offshore Scallop Drags

Abstract

Comparative fishing with offshore scallop drags, knit with 4-inch (102-mm) and the standard 3-inch (76-mm) inside diameter rings, was carried out on Georges Bank in 1959 and 1961. Catches of the two drags were measured to determine the possibility of increasing the annual yield of scallop meats by delaying capture of 5-year-old scallops until they are 6 years old (96–108 mm, shell height). The difference in catches of scallops of this size-range by the two drags was small: the larger ring caught 90% as many as the smaller ring caught. The effect of increased linkage on catches was also measured. A mesh regulation enforcing the use of a 4-inch ring would not give the desired selection.