Field Testing of a New Dredge for the Sea Scallop Fishery

We submitted a 2006 RSA proposal to design and test a scallop dredge frame that will be lighter, structurally stronger, and designed to reduce the capture and retention of sea turtles, skates and flatfish species. The project was approved but has not yet received funding to start. The 2006 RSA project is a continuation of efforts started in 1994 that have successfully decreased the bycatch of the identified species. The new dredge will incorporate improvements to the design changes currently being tested on reducing sea turtle injury and mortality. We will work on optimizing the design for groundfish bycatch reduction using more appropriate materials and cross-sections. The 2006 RSA project will be utilizing tow tank testing for cutting bar hydrodynamics and computer modeling for frame component design. Besides reducing bycatch, the new dredge will catch more scallops, reduce energy consumptions, and must hold up to the rigors of fishing. This proposal will be a continuation of the program involving extensive field testing of the new design