Comparing the efficiency and potential of ghost fishing in wire and rebar gargoors in the waters of Bushehr province (Persian Gulf)

The process of catching fishing gear that goes out of control is called ghost fishing. Abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gears (ALDFG) can cause adverse economic and environmental effects. Passive fishing gears, such as cages, produce more severe effects after being released into the water. Gargoors are one of the types of cages, which every year a large number of them are left in the sea in the Persian Gulf and the Oman Sea, for various reasons. In recent years, a new generation of gargoors with a rebar body covered with net are used in the waters of Bushehr. In this study, which was conducted from November to July 1400 in the waters of Bushehr, totally, in 310 cruises in 30 coordinates, by 9 vessels, 90 gargoors made of rebar were surveyed. All of them were baited with wolf herring and catfish. 24 species from 12 families were identified. The most observed species was Orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides). The results showed that all the gargoors made of rebar, if they are not lost, return to the land after the end of fishing. The main reasons for getting lost were theft, trawling, and bottom gillnets, respectively. Also, to confirm the sampling results, 40 questionnaires were distributed among the fishermen. According to the results, rebar gargoors are preferred over wire gargoors in terms of life, strength, economic efficiency and lower amount of ALDFG. It is recommended that researchers combine their knowledge with the experiences of fishermen to design gargoors with fewer disadvantages while maintaining the merits of different gargoor models, especially from the economic and environmental point of view.