SMART Drumline Catch Report

November 2020 

Operation Summary

During November 2020, 10 SMART drumlines (SDL) were deployed during daylight hours for 21 days across the Gracetown SMART drumline fishing zone. Weather permitting, SMART drumlines are deployed and retrieved each day. However, adverse weather conditions prevented the setting of SDLs for nine days.

Catch Summary

During November 2020, no target species (white sharks) were caught. Seven non-target sharks were caught, along with one other non-target species (smooth stingray). All sharks were tagged and released and there were no recaptures recorded. The Shortfin Mako captured on 11 November “dropped” the hook on arrival resulting in minimal capture details.

Full details are listed in the table below.

Other Comments

During November 2020 SMART buoys were activated 31 times, with an average response time of 14 minutes. The maximum response time of 30 minutes from alert via the SDL to arrival of the vessel at the SDL was exceeded on one occasion when the SMART buoy came free from the mooring, and washed into rocks, which delayed the response time. This was a false alarm.

TABLE 1. SMART DRUMLINE (SDL) TARGET SPECIES CATCH DETAILS FOR NOVEMBER 2020.

*No target species caught

TABLE 2. SMART DRUMLINE (SDL) NON-TARGET SPECIES CATCH DETAILS FOR NOVEMBER 2020.