Description of the tagging process and the development of a cradle for optimum landing and measuring of large fish followed by the Spanish F/V Tronio

During the 2017/18 season the Spanish F/V Tronio fished in Statistical Subarea 88.1 and Division 58.4.1 where the latter area required a tag rate of five fish per ton greenweight caught and also where the overall size of the fish exceeds 115cm. The tagging station on the FV Tronio is on the upper deck above the hauling station providing easy access to retrieve smaller fish directly from the hauling station and to operate the cradle over the side for landing larger fish. To optimise the use of the cradle a series of modifications were trialed to optimize the handling of the cradle, achieve rapid retrieval to minimize hauling downtime, minimize handling and time out of the water of the fish and use the cradle to release the fish. The modification achieved most of these objectives, with room for some further suggested alteration to further improve the system.