Summary
Three types of bycatch reduction devices (BRD) [turtle excluder device (TED), square mesh codend (SMC) and fisheye (FE)] were tested aboard shrimp trawl vessels. Differences in catch from nets equipped with a BRD on one side and a standard net on the other were compared for each of the three BRD's. Use of the TED resulted in no captures of sea turtles or large animals, and did not significantly reduce shrimp catches or fish bycatch. The SMC reduced both shrimp and bycatch catches, although only a reduction in bycatch was significant.The SMC did result in catches of larger shrimp compared to the other nets. The FE significantly reduced shrimp and bycatch catches.