Selective Gear

Selective gear is fishing gear designed or modified to catch the target species and size while letting non-target animals and undersized fish escape, the core tool for cutting bycatch and discards. Selectivity is achieved through mesh size and shape (square mesh releases more juveniles than diamond mesh), escape windows, sorting grids, bycatch reduction devices, turtle excluder devices, hook size, and bait choice. The EU Common Fisheries Policy landing obligation and many RFMO measures push fleets toward more selective gear to meet maximum sustainable yield targets. Selectivity is quantified by a retention curve, with the L50 giving the length at 50 percent retention.