Deep / shallow setting

Deep-setting
© Secretariat of the Pacific Community
Deep setting is a longline fishing technique where hooks are set below a critical depth, out of range of most bycatch species, but within the range that target species are usually captured. In trials at sea, deep setting was shown to decrease bycatch of sea turtles [1].  'Set Your Longline Deep' outlines the technical details of adopting this fishing technique. Deep setting uses a longline boat's existing gear with some slight modifications.
References
  1. Beverly, S. 2004. New deep setting longline technique for bycatch mitigation. SeaNet report number R03/1398. Noumea, New Caledonia: Secretariat of the Pacific Community.
  2. Miller, P. and Domingo, A. 2014. Update on sea turtle bycatch on deep set pelagic longlines in Uruguayan Waters.
  3. Sepulveda CA, Aalbers SA (2018) Exempted Testing of Deep-set Buoy Gear and Concurrent Research Trials on Swordfish, Xiphias gladius, in the Southern California Bight. MFR 80:17–29. doi: 10.7755/MFR.80.2.2
  4. SPC. 2005. Set your longline deep:  Catch more target fish and avoid bycatch by using a new gear design.
  5. Swimmer Y, Zollett E, Gutierrez A. 2020. Bycatch mitigation of protected and threatened species in tuna purse seine and longline fisheries. Endang Species Res 43:517–542. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr01069