The Effects of Depth and Habitats on Bycatch Distribution in Deployed Fish Traps in Bidong Archipelago, Terengganu – Peninsular Malaysia

Graphical Abstract Highlight Research 1. Fish traps at 20 m depth captured the highest species diversity, while 10 m had the most bycatch abundance. 2. Habitat type strongly influenced bycatch composition and species richness, with differences across the study stations. 3. Artisanal fish traps captured a wide range of species, indicating non-selectivity in fishing. 4. Bycatch composition varied with depth, with demersal species being predominant at greater depths. 5. The study recommends management strategies like time-release mechanisms to minimize the ecological impact of fish traps. AbstractIn many marine ecosystems, the fish population has been correlated to bycatch related activities, the most frequently fisheries activities in Malaysia, while the relative importance of other factors such as the depth of artisanal fish trap remains understudied. We investigate whether the bycatch distribution would be affected by deployment of artisanal fish trap at different depths, placed at extensively studied marine educational university station, the Bidong Island, East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, Terengganu. The traditional artisanal fish trap with a dimension of 1.52 m x 0.92 m x 0.92 m with the wooden frame and the oval shape funnel with a diameter of 25 cm x 6 cm and 25 cm of entrance depth were used for sample collection. The results show that there are six families, six genera and seven species of fish were successfully captured with a 20 m depth captured more fish species compared to others (i.e., 10 m and 15 m depth). The findings of this study provide evidence of the relationship of fish trap depths and fish distribution in the wild. This information could be useful for fishermen for further deployment of their fish trap within the sampling areas in the future.