Study on different hook and bait types in the Persian Gulf hand line fishery: optimization and development

The hand line fishery in the Persian Gulf is considered a sustainable fishing practice. The aims of this study were to estimate catch composition, catch rates, length frequencies, and the percentage of individuals caught below length-at-maturity with two types of hooks, circle and J-style with natural and artificial bait by hand line fishing. Circle and J-style hooks with natural and artificial bait were alternated. Sampling operations were carried out on Qeshm Island, in the North of the Persian Gulf in spring 2015. Catch per unit effort for J-hooks with natural and artificial bait and circle hooks with natural and artificial bait differed significantly ( p Lethrinus nebulosus , and Alectis indicus differed significantly between treatments ( p p  > 0.05). For most species (except  L. nebulosus ), there was no significant difference between circle and J-style hooks for the proportion of individuals smaller than length-at-maturity ( p  > 0.05).