Discarding juvenile fishes under girth 16 cm nearly equal to inner perimeter of codend mesh size collected by a cover net method in bottom trawl. The body size of the main five species (mackerel, horse mackerel, sea bream, melon seed and black throat seaperch) was measured for their body length, girth, weight, height and width and analyzed size selectivity. Frequency of penetrating fish as retention in a cover net was less than 40% of total number of juvenile discarding fish. The most of body length or girth of five species were significantly different between in the codend and in the cover net. The 50% selection girth in the cover net ranged 8-11 cm were smaller than those in the codend ranged 9-13 cm by the species respectively. The 50% selection body length was significantly related with the ratio of body height (H) by body width (W) both for in the codend or in the cover net while 50% selection girth was not significantly related with H/W. Furthermore 50% selection fish size by fish species between in the codend and in the cover net was not significantly different both in body length or girth. Therefore, the girth selectivity represented possibly as one unique value regarding fish body shape was considered as more useful method for multi-species catch in trawl.

Selectivity and by-catch are the main features used to define fish catch for fisheries management or to determine fishing gear efficiency. A fish girth distribution analysis was carried out to determine the retention rate of juveniles discarded and to establish common selectivity for a multispecies catch. Total body length, body weight, and girth of juvenile fish retained in the cod-end and cover net separately were collected using an 18-mm mesh cover net during 12 fishing trials with a 41-mm cod-end beam trawl. The by-catch weight ratio in the cod-end was twice that of the by-catch ratio in number. The 50% selectivity of body length and 50% girth of redfin velvet fish were not significantly different between the cod-end and cover net, whereas those of other fish species were significantly different between the cod-end and cover net. The difference in 50% selectivity girth of other fish between the cod-end and cover net was similar between cod-end mesh size and cover net mesh size. Furthermore, the difference in 50% body length selectivity of other fish between the cod-end and cover net was almost double the difference in girth. Girth selectivity in a multispecies catch using towed fishing gear was effectively used to determine fish and net mesh size.