Wind and the catch of a Lowestoft trawler

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Abstract
At Lowestoft fishermen say that fewer fish are caught by trawl with winds from between northwest and northeast. Haul-by-haul data recorded on log-sheets returned by the skipper of a Lowestoft motor trawler over the period December 1966–November 1967 gave details of catch and wind direction for 1162 valid hauls made in a restricted area close to the Norfolk Banks and centred on the Rising Ground (ICES statistical square F2 36). Analysis of the data showed that over the year the catches of plaice were lowest with northerly winds but that the reverse was true for cod. For plaice, below average catches were associated with northerly winds in autumn and in winter; for cod, higher than average catches were associated with northerly winds in autumn and in winter, and with southerly winds in spring and in summer. The seasonal wind patterns suggested that the apparent relation between wind and catch might be coincidental rather than causal, winds from one direction being dominant during periods of high or low availability. Direct evidence of a causal relation between wind and catch was provided by a change of wind between trips being associated with a significant change in catch rate when the trawler returned to the same ground. The effect of wind on the catch rate of plaice is discussed in relation to swell and sea, oscillatory bottom currents, turbulence, and to the capture of “lipstick” plaice or “red snouts” several hours before the wind blows from the north. The possible effects of storms, earthquakes and microseisms on other fish are also mentioned.

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