The biology of the greater weever (Trachinus draco) in the commercial fishery of the Kattegat

The scarce published literature on greater weever in western and northwestern European waters is reviewed and synthesized, along with a summary of a Danish investigation in the Kattegat for the years 1961-1973. Distribution, growth, mortality, migration, fecundity, abundance, and stock abundance in relation to the directed local commercial fishery are described. The greater weever has not been and still is not in any way protected by legislation or management, although it moves little, grows slowly, has high catchability, and has been exposed to high total mortality. Since the mid-1980s, directed fishing effort has declined, likely as a consequence of the decreasing catches, and because the effort applied through poundnets, which earlier produced about 40% of the total yield, has for other reasons almost halted. Total landings concomitantly decreased, and the current yield is now only by-catch from trawlers and from two or three 40-ft vessels occasionally directly targeting the species. (C) 2004 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.