Can pots be an alternative fishing gear to gillnets? A Mediterranean case study

Small-scale coastal fisheries in the Mediterranean often employ gillnets, a widely used gear worldwide. The disadvantages of gillnets in this fishery include high bycatch levels of unwanted species and consequent discards. Moreover, spatial conflict with other gears and dolphin depredation often results in considerable economic loss. Alternative fishing methods are being tested. This study investigated whether, in small-scale fisheries in the Adriatic Sea, pots can ensure sustainable harvest of mantis shrimp (Squilla mantis), a major target demersal species in terms of landings, and possibly replace traditional gillnets. We adopted a multidisciplinary approach to investigate the catch efficiency, biological impact, and socio-economic effects of the two fishing methods. We found different species compositions in gillnet and pot catches. Gillnets yielded a greater number of discarded species of no commercial value, whereas pots caught a greater amount of mantis shrimp. Finally, a profit analysis indicated that pot fishery has the potential to increase profits for the commercial fishing industry. This study suggests that pots provide a more sustainable fishing method, both in terms of revenue and environmental impact.