Developing competences in the fishing activities of round goby (39071)

The fishermen in the southern part of the island of Zealand have the last years fished large quantity of the invasive fish species round goby (Neogobius melanostomus). When the project started the fishermen lacked the necessary skills to handle these catches and to find buyers of the catch. The majority of the catches were discarded or sold to fishmeal- and fish oil factories. So it was evident that a proper catch handling and reliable sale was needed. 
The main results are:
- The nature History Museum of Denmark has mapped the distribution of the round goby and has gained new knowledge of the goby’s biology and behaviour.
- The fishermen have developed new fishing gear, especially as traps. The catch handling has been improved with rapid cooling.
- Small round goby has been found to be of no value as fish for human consumption.
- Silage has proved to be a good method to store the catch, before used as raw material to the feed producers. The only drawback is that the prices paid to the fishermen were too low.
- A manual for proper handling of the catch has been produced. 
This project was coordinated by Danish Seafood Association and funded by the Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries and the European Fisheries Fund (EFF).
Research area: Fisheries Management