A daylight sampling net for juvenile penaeid prawns

Abstract

A sampling device capable of capturing buried juvenile penaeid prawns has been constructed and tested. The towed sampling net described utilizes pumped water jets to disturb buried prawns from the upper 3 cm of sediment whilst they are within the net covered sled. The jets also generate a turbulent flow of water, which together with the forward movement of the sled, carries the animals back into the pocket of the net. Data on the catch rates and sizes of prawns caught are presented, with a discussion of the efficiency of the apparatus and its use as a quantitative sampling device.