top of page

AFS and AZGFD Standard Gill Net Comparison and Calibration

AFS and AZGFD Standard Gill Net Comparison and Calibration

Arizona Department of Game and Fish (AZDGF) use gill nets that differ in length and number of panels from the American Fisheries Society (AFS) Standard Methods. We compared gill nets used by AZDGF with AFS Standard gill nets and developed methods to covert data collected by AZGFD standard gill nets to AFS gill nets. Comparing these two nets took place overnight in various sized reservoirs across Arizona in the spring of 2020 and 2021. Our methods entailed 1) a set number of paired net sets were placed in selected locations at dusk. 2) nets were pulled, and data was collected the next morning, 3) species and sizes caught by various panels were recorded; 4) calibration between nets was conducted using Peterson and Paukert techniques in AFS Standard Methods. This study will help AZDGF transition to using AFS Standard Methods net as well as finding a correlation factor to compare past and future data. Data collected by nets will also be useful for developing Arizona specific growth, CPUE, length-frequency and condition standards. Field work on this project has concluded and calibration equations were successfully developed. This project was written up in a thesis published Winter 2022. A publication from this project is now being submitted for publication.

bottom of page