Analysis of mesh breaking loads in cotton gill nets: Possible solution to ghost fishing

ABSTRACT:   A small number of fishers in Chiba Prefecture of eastern Japan use cotton gill nets to catch Japanese spiny lobster Panulirus japonicus. To examine the advantages of cotton gill nets, we analyzed changes in mesh breaking load of a new cotton gill net used in a fishing operation. A new cotton gill net was also soaked in a seawater tank to simulate ghost fishing conditions. The average mesh breaking load of new cotton mesh was 50.3 N. This value decreased to 19.0 N after 38 days (∼912 h), and after 82 days (∼1968 h) the mesh could be easily torn (breaking load 0.07 N). Under fishing conditions, the cumulative soak time was only 744.4 h over 19 months. The average breaking load at the end of this period was 43.1 N, a strength 86% that of the presoaked mesh. The mesh breaking load of a cotton gill net continuously soaked for 744.4 h was 26.1 N, as estimated from tank experiment data. Thus, a cotton gill net maintains reasonable strength under typical use conditions, but will degrade if lost at sea.     

波流作用下深水网箱受力及运动变形的数值模拟

基于已建立的浮架和网衣数学模型,对不同波况和流速共同作用条件下HDPE深水网箱所受的锚绳力、波流力、容积损失率以及浮架倾角进行数值计算,设计的波流要素值为:波高H=4～6 m,周期T=6.0～8.6 s,流速U=0.3～0.9 m/s.结果表明,网箱锚绳受力、波流力和容积损失率均与波高和流速成正比,与周期的关系不明显,且网箱系统所受的波流力约为网箱迎浪侧两根锚绳受力的合力.在波高H=4～6 m、流速U=0.75 m/s时,网箱容积损失率达到47%～56%,网箱变形较为严重,为此建议网箱养殖区域应选择流速小于0.75 m/s的海区较为适宜.周期对网箱容积损失率的影响很小,对浮架倾角的影响较为明显,波高和流速不变时,随着周期的增大,浮架倾角会有所减小.本研究旨在探讨波浪流对深水网箱受力及运动变形的影响,为高海况网箱养殖的风险评估提供参考依据.