On 27th January 2002, in between 7 AM and 12 noon, the Directorate of Fisheries, Orissa organized a field demonstration of CIFT model of TED in the sea off New Fishing Harbour, Paradip with a view to facilitate an eye witness observation by the trawl owners/operators about the viability of the device especially with regard to the retention of fish catch while exiting the turtle and other unwanted bye-catch.
Two Departmental trawlers namely MV Talaban and MV Crown fitted with TED were engaged for the purpose. An extra cod end was also fitted at the exit hole of each trawl net so as to demonstrate the exact amount and nature of the fish that might escape along with the turtle or other marine species from the net. The trawlers made their hauling at 10-fathom (60 feet) water depth off Paradip coast.
The persons who were on board included Sri Satyabrata Sahu, Director Fisheries, Sri A.C. Nayak, Deputy Director, Fisheries (Marine), Sri Rakhal Shyam Mishra, Retd. Deputy Director of Fisheries, Sri P.K. kar, Asst. Director of Fisheries (Marine), Kujang, Sri N.C. Boral and Sri A.K. Sahoo Junior Fisheries Officers (Marine), Dr. Bibhas Pandav of Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun and his group, Sri Chitta Ranjan Behera, Advisor and Dr. S.K. Behera Project Coordinator of Project Swarajya and above all Sri K. Rath and Meghanad Behera of Orissa Marine Fish Producers' Association, Paradip.
Each trawl conducted a haul of 2 hours duration,. Due to inclement weather further trawling could not be performed on the day. The following results were found:
MV CROWN
MV TALABAN
At the end of the hauls, the persons on board were convinced that the CIFT model of TED not only exited turtles successfully, but also keeps the fish escape to a tolerable minimum.
The CIFT (Central Institute of Fisheries Technology) Kochi has recently devised a new model of TED (Trawling Efficiency Device or Turtle Excluder Device), which is capable of exiting the unwanted by-catch like turtle, shark, stone and debris etc. while minimizing the fish escape from the trawl net in course of sea fishing. The said model was subject to trial both at Paradip and Dhamra Coast in Orissa during 23rd to 26th February 2001 in the presence of the trawl owners/operators and was found suitable from the point of view of retaining most of the fish catch in the cod-end of the net along with protecting the net from the accidental damage caused by the unwanted by-catch.
Under the circumstances, this new model of TED needs further trial and popularization in Orissa coast and also in other turtle sensitive coasts of India in days to come.
Total Fish caught in cod end- 62.5 kg Total fish escape as found in the exit bag-0.710 kg Percentage of fish escape out of total catch-1.136 % only
Total Fish caught in cod end- 66.00 kg Total fish escape as found in the exit bag- 0.830 kg Percentage of fish escape out of total catch- 1.257 % only