A shaking motion could be used to improve fish escapement from a cod-end net by creating a sieving effect over the swept volume or by disturbing the optomotor response of the fish. In this study, a perpendicular shaking motion was generated in a towed cod-end net by a circular canvas attached to the end of the codend, which formed a biased cap-like shape. This concept was tested by using a model in a flow tank and by towing a prototype cod-end during sea trials. For the model tests, the

more »

... e of the shaking motion was 0.6 ± 0.1 times the rear diameter of the cod-end, and the period of the shaking motion was 2.6 ± 0.1 s at a flow velocity of 0.6 or 0.8 m/s. In the sea trials, the amplitude was 0.5 ± 0.2 times the rear diameter of the cod-end, and the period of the shaking motion was 7 ± 4 s at towing speeds of 1.2 or 1.7 m/s. Thus, the shaking amplitude during the sea trials was equal to or less than that observed in the tank tests, and the shaking period was twice as long. The shaking motion described by the amplitude and period could be an effective means to stimulate fish escapement from cod-end during fishing operations considering the response of the fish.