Purse Seine Selectivity Based on Catch Composition in West Sumatra Waters (FMA-RI 572), Indonesia

Purse seines are an efficient fishing gear for catching pelagic fish that live in schools and are found near the surface of the water. Purse seines are considered active because their operation involves blocking, trapping, and restricting the fish's movement, preventing them from escaping. Catching success is influenced by several factors, such as net rotation speed, sinking weights, and the speed of pulling the line, all of which influence the success of purse seine fishing. The continued increase in purse seine operations indicates a continuing increase in the exploitation of fish resources. This condition has led to the issue of overfishing and the increasing scarcity of fishery resources. Overfishing can result in a decrease in catch per unit effort (CPUE), which in turn reduces fishermen's income. Gear selectivity refers to the ability to select or catch fish based on specific species and sizes. Fishing gear with a high level of selectivity tends to prioritize catch quality over quantity. The research was conducted at the Ocean Fisheries Port (PPS) Bungus, from January 13 to May 12, 2025, using a purse seine vessel operating in the waters of West Sumatra (FMA-RI 572). During the research, based on the results obtained, fishing operations were carried out during the day and night. The composition of the catch obtained was a variety of species caught, consisting of bigeye scad (Selar crumenophthalmus), European pilchard (Sardinella pilchardus), Shortfin scad (Decapterus sp.), short mackerel (Rastrelliger sp.), narrow-barred spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus sp.), Largehead hairtail (Trichiurus lepturus), barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda), Kawakawa (Euthynnus affinis), and Squid (Loligo sp.). The total catch during the study was 20,050 kg. The percentage of main catch fish was 33% smaller than the percentage of bycatch of 67%. The main catch was S. crumenopthalmus fish, with a production of 6,645 kg (33%) of the total catch. Thus, it can be concluded that the selectivity of purse seine is relatively low, because bycatch is more dominant due to the large number of fish species caught.