Gill Net Fisheries Tom Knobel and Rich Groh reviewed the characteristics of the near shore gill net fisheries in Gardiner s Bay and along the south shore, respectively. Rich indicated that gill nets are used to target bluefish, weakfish, bunker and some striped bass. The fishery involves a variety of mesh sizes and typically different juveniles go through the nets. Bycatch of juveniles is typically not much of a problem, since six to eight inch mesh nets do not capture many juveniles. Species composition can be manipulated through a variety of measures, but usually just moving to a different area solves the problem.
Gill nets are a clean fishery.
Fisheries are diverse, however, and the perception is that gill nets are non-selective when in fact they can be very selective. Tom Knobel provided an illuminating list of the variables associated with gill net catch and bycatch in the Gardiner s Bay gill net fishery. Other commentators included Bob Hamilton, Bill Wise, Pat Augustine, and Mark Malchoff. Many comments also related to market factors, such that little economic incentive exists for capture of larger fish. The smallest fish caught using today s gear is large relative to a few years ago, yet prices have not increased, and the prices have not moved up relative to the sizes of fish captured.