Fishionary

A blog about fish words!

By Abigail Lynch

A blog about fish words!

Demersal

February 1, 2019 by abby

Guest post: Lauren Flynn, New Mexico State University

Example of a demersal catch, painted in the 17th century. Nature morte de poissons au bord d’un ravage by Jan van Kessel the Elder, Source: Wikimedia Commons.

From the Latin verb demergere, meaning ‘to sink’, demersal describes fish that live on or just above the ocean or lake floor.  It can also refer to a commercial fishery for groundfish and shellfish, which typically uses gear that is weighted so it sinks to the bottom.  Demersal fish are frequently captured by a trawl net that drags along the ocean or lake floor.  As a result, demersal fisheries tend to be less discriminate than pelagic fishing methods such as long lines or gill nets that target fish using specific bait, specialized hooks, or mesh size.  Bycatch can be an issue for demersal fisheries, but trawl net modifications using Bycatch Reduction Devices (BRD) help to increase capture of target species and reduce unintended catch.

Examples of demersal fish species are cod, haddock, and flatfish such as turbot and halibut.  Popular shellfish include crab, shrimp, and lobster.

For comparison, see pelagic.

Posted in: D Tagged: bottom fishery, bycatch, fishing gear, Pelagic zone

Fishionary Alphabet

  • Home
  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
  • L
  • M
  • N
  • O
  • P
  • Q
  • R
  • S
  • T
  • U
  • V
  • W
  • X
  • Y
  • Z

Recent Posts

  • Alevin
  • Abyssopelagic zone
  • Kype
  • Fish conservation zones (FCZs)
  • Amphidromous
The views expressed in these posts are solely the views of the AFS member who wrote them and do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Fisheries Society (AFS), its officers, or the U.S. Geological Survey. Both organizations make no representation on the accuracy of opinions expressed in this blog. AFS merely hosts voluntary blogs as a place for members to share their personal views with other AFS members and to engage in friendly exchanges on fish topics.

Copyright © 2023 Fishionary.

Church WordPress Theme by themehall.com