Comparing Catch Efficiency of Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) Traps with Different Entrance Numbers

Abstract

Traps with various designs have been developed for improving catch efficiency. Traditionally, traps with two or three entrances have been used in recreational crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) fisheries in China. More recently, traps with more than three entrances have been used in fisheries; however, it is unclear whether increasing the number of entrances on a trap increases crayfish capture efficiency. In this research, we evaluated and compared the capture efficiency of crayfish with traps varying in numbers of entrances (2–7). We assessed the catch per unit effort (CPUE) of crayfish in traps through 10 fishing trials. Our results suggested that CPUE did not differ significantly (p = 0.070) among the tested traps; however, CPUE by weight did vary significantly (p = 0.029) among the traps. The tested six-entrance traps caught more crayfish by weight than the five-entrance traps (p = 0.019). The results also revealed that the entrance number did not significantly (p = 0.29) affect the size of crayfish captured. The results are of practical significance for stakeholders to choose traps with efficient designs, and they are important for understanding and improving the catch efficiency of traps.