Effectiveness of horizontal separator panel in demersal trawl net

In this study, it was evaluated that the effectiveness of horizontal separator panel in the demersal trawl net. A modified trawl net, 900 fishing circle, divided into two separate panels as lower and upper panel from the beginning of trawl mouth. Experiments were carried out in the Gülbah？e Bay/？zmir/Turkey between 29.04.2013 – 08.05.2013 with R/V “EGESüF”. Trawl hauls are standardized at 45 minutes. Lower (LB) and upper bag (UB), which have polyamide 20 mm mesh sizes, were constructed for obtained the species in lower and upper parts. After hauling up the gear, the catches from the LB and UB were emptied onto the deck separately, sorted by species, and weighed. In addition, total lengths were measure for red mullet (Mullus barbatus), annular sea bream (Dipldus annularis), Common pandora (Pagellus erythinus) and Blotched picarel (Spicara maena). T test was utilized for differences between LB and UB catches. The Kolmogorov–Smirnov (K–S) test was used to compare length distributions of the LB and UB specimens for red mullet, annular sea bream, common pandora and blotched picarel. A totally 21 hauls were performed. In total 790.1 kg belonging to 51 species was caught. As weight 80 % of species retained in LB and 20% in UB (P <0. 05). While most of red mullet (96%), annular sea bream (87%) and common Pandora (65 %) were caught in LB, Blotched picarel (69%) was obtained in UB. Further developments should be explored; with square mesh codend, sorting grid and multi selective system considering behaviour of species