Kristine Cerbule

• PhD
• Assistant professor at Heriot-Watt University

Small-scale coastal fisheries in the Mediterranean often employ gillnets, a widely used gear worldwide. The disadvantages of gillnets in this fishery include high bycatch levels of unwanted species and consequent discards. Moreover, spatial conflict with other gears and dolphin depredation often results in considerable economic loss. Alternative fi...

This study aimed at discriminating between the effects of physical strain due to the interactive effect of gear operation and degradation, and degradation only, on the differences in breaking strength, strain, and stiffness at break of polybutylene succinate-co-adipate-co-terephthalate (PBSAT) (biodegradable) and PA6 (nylon) gillnet materials, and...

Pots are traditional fishing gear type largely employed in Mediterranean Small Scale Fisheries (SSFs). Their often higher species selectivity and catch quality compared to other gear types such as passive set nets or trawls are appealing characteristics for reducing the impact on benthic communities and diversifying fishing effort in the region. De...

Diamond mesh codends are the most common size selectivity devices in trawls for releasing bycatch and un-dersized individuals. However, codend selectivity can vary due to the flexibility of the netting meshes, making discrimination by size between retained and released fish difficult to control. In some trawl fisheries, rigid sorting devices have b...

Abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) is considered a problem of global concern which can cause considerable negative environmental and socioeconomic consequences. Due to use of slowly degrading plastic materials in fishing gear construction, ALDFG can remain in marine environment for decades. Enclosed marine environments are...

Plastic is among the most common types of marine litter, and fisheries represent one of the sources of plastic pollution in the marine environment by abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG). Due to use of plastic materials in fishing gear construction, such ALDFG, including passive fishing gears, has a considerable negative imp...

Bycatch of threatened flatfish species is a major concern in mixed-species bottom-set gillnet fisheries in the Yellow Sea, China. Therefore, we tested floated gillnets against standard bottom-set gillnets to reduce bycatch by exploiting difference in species-specific fish behavior. Our results demonstrated that the floated gillnet design can greatl...

Abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) is a global challenge that negatively affects marine environment through plastic pollution and continued capture of marine animals, so-called "ghost fishing". In different pot fisheries, ghost fishing related to ALDFG is of concern, including pot fishery targeting swimming crab (Portunus...

Gillnets are widely used fishing gear for targeting various fish species. Gillnet fisheries use different gear configurations such as different mesh sizes and number of netting twines (mono-or multifilament) depending on the species targeted. Gillnet fishery targeting whiting (Merlangius merlangus) is one of the economically important year-round fi...

In different trap fisheries worldwide, escape openings are often used to improve size and species selectivity by reducing bycatch. The selectivity efficiency of escape openings depends on their shape and size designed according to the target species morphology. However, the efficiency also depends on the number of trapped animals contacting such es...

In the Asian paddle crab (Charybdis japonica) gillnet fishery in the Yellow Sea, China, the minimum mesh size (MMS) regulation has been of a major importance due to high bycatch rates of undersized crabs. In this study, we evaluated how gillnet mesh size can affect the capture probability of C. japonica and capture patterns in this fishery by compa...

In the Barents Sea commercial snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) fishery, an increase in catch efficiency of the conical pots is important for the profitability of the industry. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) have previously been tested for increasing catch efficiency of the snow crab pots. These earlier experiments have shown varying results ranging fr...

Gillnets are one of the most commonly used fishing gears in both marine and inland waters. Different colour filament nettings are often used in gillnets. However, the effect of gillnet colour on catch efficiency is unclear for most fisheries. Therefore, in this study we investigated the effect of gillnet colour on the catch efficiency in pearlspot...

Marine plastic pollution and continuous capture of marine animals, so-called "ghost fishing", by abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) are global concerns. This study investigated whether biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) monofilaments can be used to replace conventionally used non-biodegradable polyamide (PA) in trammel ne...

Marine pollution by lost, abandoned or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) often has negative impact on the ecosystem through plastic pollution and continuous capture of marine animals, so-called "ghost fishing". ALDFG in pot fisheries is associated with high ghost fishing risk. The snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) pot fishery is conducted in h...

The choice of ground gear design in demersal trawls can significantly affect both catch composition and efficiency. The preference for a specific design depends on the fishing ground. In the NorthEastern Mediterranean, two types of ground gears, Single Line and Double Line are commonly used. Therefore, this study compared the catch performance for...

SFI Dsolve partner workshop Research Area 3: Gear development, tests and demonstrations at sea

Shortening codend lastridge ropes can be an effective fishing gear modification to improve the size selection properties in diamond mesh codends. Lastridge ropes attached to codend selvedges withstand the longitudinal forces created by the catch building up and therefore, prevent the codend meshes from closing. However, the extent to which the last...

Pollution from lost, abandoned, or discarded fishing gear is recognized as a global nature conservation concern. Longlining with hooks is a commonly applied fishing method in fisheries around the world. The longline gear consists of a mainline with a number of baited hooks that are attached to it by thinner twine (snoods) which are often made of pl...

Pots are widely used fishing gear type for targeting different crustacean and fish species. Pot entrance size and design are among the most important technical parameters that influence the catch efficiency of certain species. An optimal pot entrance design should allow an efficient entry for the target species while preventing subsequent escape. T...

The use of food grade wild-captured species as bait for other fisheries questions the sustainability of food production. In pot fisheries, bait is an important factor determining the effectiveness of the gear. In snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) fishery, the pots are normally baited with squid (Illex sp.) and herring (Clupea harengus). This fishery...

The introduction of the Nordmøre grid in shrimp trawls has reduced the bycatch of non-target species. In the Norwegian Northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) fishery, the mandatory selective gear consists of a Nordmøre grid with 19 mm bar spacing combined with a 35 mm mesh size diamond mesh codend. However, fish bycatch in shrimp trawls remains a chal...

In this study, we compared the bycatch reduction capacity of a trawl fitted with a standard rigid sorting grid with that of a trawl fitted with a newly developed, flexible system called the Excluder. We conducted the fishing trials in the Norway pout (Trisopterus esmarkii) small-meshed trawl fishery in the North Sea. Catch data were analysed by spe...

When evaluating fishing gear catches, the focus is often on a few species as opposed to the entire catch. In some fisheries this can lead to ignoring major part of catch composition. Thus, there is a need for a more holistic approach when evaluating the ecological impact of using a specific fishing gear and when comparing two or more gears. In this...

The growing interest in harvesting mesopelagic fish species has increased the need for knowledge about how trawls should be designed for optimizing the catch efficiency of these resources. Since the net herding efficiency for small mesopelagic fish species is unknown, trawls targeting these species need to consider the potential net panel selectivi...

Longlining is a widely used fishing method. During longline fishing, some of the snoods connecting the hooks to the mainline are often lost at sea. Since snoods are made of nylon or polyester, lost snoods contribute to marine plastic pollution. Replacing nylon or polyester with a new material made of biodegradable plastics can potentially reduce ma...

Modern gillnets are usually made of nylon with high breaking strength, suitable elasticity and durability making them an efficient fishing gear. Lost, abandoned, or discarded gillnets at sea cause plastic pollution and can continue capturing marine animals over long periods of time. Biodegradable materials are being developed to replace nylon in gi...

Measures of biological diversity (biodiversity) are important for monitoring the state of ecosystems. Several indices and methods are used to describe biodiversity from field observations. Marine faunal biodiversity is often quantified based on analysis of samples collected using a trawl during research surveys. To monitor spatial and temporal chan...

Conical pots with a plastic entrance cone on the top are a type of fishing gear used to harvest snow crabs (Chionoecetes opilio) in Arctic regions. In this study, we assessed the effect of pot entrance diameter on the catch efficiency of snow crabs. We used catch data collected during sea trials of pots with different entrance cone diameters, and w...

In many trawl fisheries, codend size selectivity is supplemented by adding selection devices to the gear. In the Barents Sea gadoid fishery, combining diamond mesh codends with sorting grids is compulsory. However, the use of grids increases the costs and complexity of the gear, causing discontent among fishermen and prompting researchers to seek a...

In commercial snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) fishery, the catch efficiency of the conical pots is important for increasing the profitability of the industry. This study evaluated the effect of adding green and white light emitting diodes (LED) on the catch efficiency of commercially used conical pots. The results from the field experiments showed...

In most trawl fisheries, drag forces tend to close the meshes in large areas of diamond mesh codends, negatively affecting their selective potential. In the Barents Sea deep-water shrimp (Pandalus borealis) trawl fishery, selectivity is based on a sorting grid followed by a diamond mesh codend. However, the retention of juvenile fish as well as und...

Several shrimp trawl fisheries use a Nordmo¨re sorting grid to avoid bycatch of fish. However, small fish can pass through the grid. Therefore, the retention of juvenile fish often remains an issue during shrimp trawling. We investigated the vertical distribution of deepwater shrimp (Pandalus borealis) and dominant bycatch species at the point wher...

Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing food production sectors and has great potential for food security and livelihoods. However, it generates concerning consequences for the environment, including chemical and biological pollution, disease outbreaks, unsustainable feeds and competition for coastal space. Recent investigations are focusing on s...

In the Northeast Atlantic deep-water shrimp (Pandalus borealis) trawl fishery, the bycatch of juvenile fish and shrimp represents a problem. This study evaluated if inserting a 200 mm mesh size top-panel in the last three sections of the tapered upper belly section of the trawl could reduce bycatch of juveniles while maintaining the catch efficienc...

Several shrimp trawl fisheries use a Nordmöre sorting grid to avoid bycatch of fish. However, small fish can pass through the grid. Therefore, the retention of juvenile fish often remains an issue during shrimp trawling. We investigated the vertical distribution of deepwater shrimp (Pandalus borealis) and dominant bycatch species at the point where...

Size selection in commercial snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) pot fisheries is important for reducing on-board sorting and unintended mortality of undersized individuals. In this paper, we tested whether snow crab of various sizes geometrically could pass through diamond meshes of different sizes and opening angles, to estimate a model for predictin...

The effect of long-term use on the catch efficiency of biodegradable gillnets was investigated during commercial fishing trials and in controlled lab aging tests. The relative catch efficiency between biodegradable and nylon gillnets was evaluated over three consecutive fishing seasons for Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in Norway. The biodegradable gi...

The salmon louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) causes problems in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) aquaculture in the Northern Hemisphere, because infestations can result in both a loss of production and in fish mortality. Several types of treatment have been used to control louse infestations, but these have seen varying success. The aim of this review i...