Estimation of Economic Losses in Trammel Nets Fisheries Using the Length–weight Relationship

Trammel nets are used with nearly five days of soaking time to increase the catching efficiency of demersal fish under the control of commercial fishers in the Marmara Sea, Türkiye. The long soaking times can be deteriorate or damage individuals of fish species and economic losses. In this situation, the length and weight of fresh individuals can be measured, but damaged individuals can not be measured in length and weight or both. These losses can be revealed by relating of the length–weight relationship. The current study aimed to determine economic losses by estimating the length–weight relationships of known length and weight of fresh individuals, and by calculating the weight of damaged individuals depending on the length–weight relationships. The catching operations with different soaking times were conducted firstly from December 2020 to December 2021 and secondly from the winter and spring seasons of 2022 in the Marmara Sea, Türkiye. A total of 654 individuals of all species were caught and 185 of them were determined to be damaged. This shows that 30% of those caught were damaged individuals. The total weight of the damaged individuals was calculated to be 91.3 kg. The damaged fish were caught with a total of 2000 m trammel nets and it was determined that they caused an economic loss of 355.3 USD. When we consider the decline and overexploitation of fish stocks, these economic losses and damaged individuals with long soaking times for trammel nets are significant. So, the negative effects of long soaking times on catchable stocks should be evaluated by fisheries managers, and the long soaking times of trammel nets should be regulated for sustainable fisheries.