A comparison of circle hook and J hook performance in a western equatorial Atlantic Ocean pelagic longline fishery

Authors: 

Pacheco, J.C., Kerstetter, D.W., Hazin, F.H., Hazin, H., Segundo, R.S.S.L., Graves, J.E., Carvalho, F. and Travassos, P.E.

Year: 

2011

Journal/Publisher Name: 

Fisheries Research

Volume (Issue #): 

107

Page #s: 

39-45

Contact information: 

hghazin@hotmail.com
Summary: 

The effect of circle hooks and J-style hooks on the catch composition, catch rates, hooking location and status of release of target and bycatch species were compared on pelagic longline vessels.  There were significant differences in catch rates between the two hook types for bigeye tuna, which had higher catch rates on circle hooks and sailfish, pelagic stingrays, and leatherback sea turtles, which had higher catch rates on J-style hooks.  Survival of bigeye and yellowfin tunas was significantly higher when circle hooks were used and bigeye and yellowfin tunas, swordfish and sailfish had significantly higher external hookings when circle hooks were used.  The results suggests using 18/0 circle hooks with a zero degree offset could increase the survival of bycatch species while having minimal effects on the catches of target species.

Field Studies

Location Fishing Gear Reduction Technique Bycatch Species Effect on Bycatch Species Catch Effect on Target Catch Type Link to edit content
Equatorial Atlantic Ocean Hooks-and-Lines Circle hooks Bony Fishes, Skates/Rays, Demochelys coriacea (Leatherback sea turtle) Catch rates were lower for leatherback sea turtles and pelagic stingrays but not sailfish when circle hooks were used Tuna Bigeye tuna had higher catch rates when circle hooks were used Field study in the wild
Equatorial Atlantic Ocean Hooks-and-Lines Circle hooks Bony Fishes, Skates/Rays, Demochelys coriacea (Leatherback sea turtle) Sailfish, pelagic stingrays, and leatherback sea turtles, had higher catch rates on J-style hooks Tuna Bigeye and yellowfin tuna had higher survival rates when circle hooks were used Field study in the wild
Equatorial Atlantic Ocean Hooks-and-Lines Circle hooks Bony Fishes Swordfish and sailfish had significantly higher external hookings when circle hooks were used Tuna Field study in the wild