SMART Drumline Catch Report

March 2020 

Operation Summary

During March 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 ten days.

Catch Summary

During March 2020, no target species (white sharks) were caught. A total of 14 non-target sharks were caught, with no other non-target species captured. All sharks were tagged and released and there were no recaptures recorded.

Full details are listed in the table below.

Other Comments

During March 2020 SMART buoys were activated 40 times, with an average response time of 7 minutes. The maximum response time of 30 minutes from alert via the SDL to arrival of the vessel at the SDL was not exceeded on any occasion.

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

*No target species caught

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