Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Turtle excluder devices

Technical information guide for commercial fishers and net makers
CS2023 10/12

© The State of Queensland 2012.

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Contents
About this guide 1
Introduction 2
Legislation requirements 2
TED specifications 3
Grids 3
Grid angle 4
TED angle formula 5
Single flap nets 7
Double flap nets 12
Helpful flaps hints 14
Floatation 14
TED maintenance schedule 17
Optimising TED performance 18
Further information 18
Appendix 19
 About this guide
Fisheries Queensland, part of the Department of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, has developed this
guide to provide technical information on turtle excluder
devices (TEDs).
TEDs allow for the effective escape of turtles and other
large non-target species (including sea sponges, sharks
and large rays) that interact with trawl gear.
This guide has been developed to ensure TEDs are made
to a consistent standard—for fitting to trawl nets used
throughout the Queensland east coast trawl fishery.
The guide and the standardised design specifications
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

contained within it will help both net makers (to construct

TEDs) and fishers (to fit and use TEDs). This will ensure
TEDs effectively reduce bycatch (non-target species) while
also retaining catches of target and permitted species.

1
Introduction Legislation requirements
A recognised TED and a recognised bycatch reduction
The appropriate use of recognised TEDs has significantly
device (BRD) are mandatory in all otter trawl nets of vessels
improved the escape of bycatch from codends of trawl
fishing in the Queensland east coast trawl fishery.
nets. The benefits of using TEDs are improved product
quality through reduced levels of soft and broken prawns, BRDs are also required in all beam trawl nets of vessels
reduced handling (sorting) of bycatch and increased water fishing in the Queensland east coast trawl fishery.
flow through commercial trawl nets, which can lead to less
drag and improved fuel economy.

Turtle excluder devices

Square mesh
codend (SMC)

Figure 1. Artist’s impression of a TED and a square mesh codend configuration within a net

2
 TED specifications
< 12 cm
Height
Grids 81 cm min.

TED grids can be any shape but must have the following
specifications:
• at least 81 cm wide and at least 81 cm high
• v ertical bars extending from the top to the bottom of
the grid
Width 81 cm min.
• v ertical bars no more than 12 cm apart (inside
Figure 2. Minimum external TED grid dimensions
measurement)
and maximum bar spacing dimension
• constructed of rigid material
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

• c onstructed as a single solid unit with no hinged or

collapsible parts
• a
 ttached to the entire circumference of the net
(preferably with rope or twine)
• installed and maintained at a 30–55° angle in the net.

Figure 3. A typical stainless steel TED

3
Grid angle
The angle at which the TED is installed is crucial for
directing large bycatch species to the escape opening. Too
steep and animals will jam on the grid; too acute and the
nets will collapse and close up (resulting in product loss).
The more acute the grid angle the larger the grid needs to
be to maintain net height. Figure 4b shows the minimum
and maximum grid angles required.

Turtle excluder devices

Figure 4a. Acceptable TED installation angle Figure 4b. The TED must be installed in the net at an angle
between 30° and 55° from the normal horizontal flow through
the net 4
 TED angle formula No. of meshes = Grid length x Cos angle (θ)
Mesh size
To work out the angle of a TED installed in a net, you will
need to count the number of meshes difference between For example, if a grid measuring 810 mm was inserted at
the top of the grid and the bottom. Count along a row 55° into a codend with a mesh size of 38 mm, the number
of meshes from the top of the grid to a point half way of meshes required would be:
around the circumference of the net. The mesh count is the
No. of meshes = 810 mm x Cos 55 = 810 mm x 0.573
number of meshes between this point and the attachment
38 mm 38 mm
point of the bottom of the grid (see Figure 5).
Mesh counts provide a guide for the grid’s angle of = 12 meshes
installation and vary according to grid height and mesh size.
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Figure 5. Where to count meshes on a bottom-shooting TED to

5 determine grid angle
Table 1. Number of meshes required for a 30° and 55° angle TED (grid size = 810 mm) layover

30° angle 55° angle

Mesh size – centre of knot to
Mesh size (inches) (0.866) (0.574)
centre of knot (millimetres)
28 1.1 25 17
32 1.25 22 15
36 1.4 19 13
38 1.5 18 12
43 1.7 16 11
44 1.75 16 11
48 1.875 15 10
51 2 14 9
57 2.25 12 8
60 2.36 12 8
64 2.5 11 7
75 2.95 9 6
76 3 9 6

Turtle excluder devices

89 3.5 8 5
102 4 7 5
Min. meshes
Max. meshes
(less = too
(more = too flat)
upright)
See Appendix for mesh counts for other grid sizes.

6
 Single flap nets
Escape openings
There are three recognised openings for a single flap net:
1. Rectangle configuration
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Figure 6a. Single flap, rectangular escape hole opening Figure 6b. Minimum requirements for a single flap, rectangular
escape hole opening
Note: Single flap rectangular opening dimensions differ
7 from the double flap rectangular opening dimensions.
2. Triangle configuration
• S
 ingle and double flap triangle escape opening
configurations are identical.

Turtle excluder devices

Figure 7a. Single flap, triangle escape hole opening. The TED is Figure 7b. Minimum requirements for a single flap, triangle
attached to the circumference of the net with heavy twine escape hole opening

8
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

3. Combination configuration
• A
 horizontal cut immediately forward of the grid
that is not narrower than the grid—except for 10 cm
at either side of the grid—and a minimum of 61 cm,
with two combination forward cuts perpendicular
from the grid of not less than 51 cm along all points
and not less than 50 cm made as an all bar taper—
and a resulting leading edge cut of not less than
40 cm stretched—and a stretched measurement
of not less than 181 cm when measured between
the forward ends of the all point cut at least 51 cm
forward of the grid.
Figure 8. Minimum requirements for a single flap, combination
9 escape hole opening
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

Single flap
Single flap specifications:
• Must be on the outside of the trawl.
• Must have a maximum mesh size of 50 mm.
• Must be a panel not less than 338 cm x 132 cm, with
the 338 cm edge attached to the forward edge of the
opening.
• Must not overlap the escape hole cut by more
than 13 cm on either side.
• May be sewn down the outside edges no more
than 15 cm past the posterior edge of the grid.
• Trailing edge of each panel must not extend more
than 61 cm behind the posterior edge of the grid.

Turtle excluder devices

Figure 9a. Minimum flap measurements for a single flap Figure 9b. Single flap
10
 As a guide, the stretched width of the flaps can be
measured by counting meshes. That is, flap size
(cm)/ mesh size (cm) = no. of meshes.
338 cm/5 cm = 67 meshes
67 meshes is therefore the minimum number of meshes
required in 50 mm mesh to achieve a 338 cm wide
(stretched) flap.

Edge of escape

13 cm max. overlap
of escape hole
measured at the grid
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

Sewn (attached) 15 cm
max. past posterior
edge of the grid

Figure 10a. Maximum flap attachments for a single flap Figure 10b. Single flap

11
Double flap nets
Escape openings
There are three recognised opening options for a double
flap net:
1. Rectangle configuration

Figure 11b. Measurements for rectangular escape opening with

double flaps

2. Triangle configuration
• Triangle escape openings are identical for single
and double flap nets (as shown in Figure 6a).
3. Combination configuration

Turtle excluder devices

• Double flap combination escape openings are
similar to single flap openings except they require
a stretched measurement of only 142 cm at a
position of 51 cm forward of the grid.

Figure 11a. Rectangular escape opening with double flaps

12
 Flap overlap 38cm max. when
mesh stretched transversely

Each flap
panel width
147cm min.
Flap overhang (stretched)
61cm max.
behind the
posterior edge
Figure 12. Minimum requirements for a double flap, of the grid
combination escape hole opening
Figure 13a. Measurements for double flap configuration

Double flap
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

Double flap specifications:

• Must be on the outside of the trawl.
• Must have a maximum mesh size of 50 mm.
• Must have two equal size rectangular panels, each a
minimum 147 cm wide.
• Panels may overlap no more than 38 cm when
stretched.
• Panels may be sewn together only along the leading
edge of the cut.
• Panels may be sewn down the entire length of the
outside edge of each panel.
• Trailing edge of each panel must not extend more than
61cm behind the posterior edge of the grid. Figure 13b. Double flap configuration
13
Helpful flaps hints Floatation
• Larger flap width with smaller mesh size helps to Floats must be attached to the top half of all grids with
close the flap and retain target species—a result of bottom escape openings.
having more knots for water to flow over. Ideally,
flaps should be 1.5–2 times the minimum width. The • Floats may be attached inside or outside the net but
38 cm overlap can have as many meshes as not to the flap.
required (as it is a physical distance of overlap and • Floats attached inside the net must be behind the
isn’t restricted by the number of meshes). grid (see Figure 16).
• The floatation requirements must be satisfied by
• Knot orientation of the escape flaps is important, compliance with either the dimension requirements
ensuring a ‘snug’ fit and reduced product loss. The of paragraph (i) or the buoyancy requirements of
knots should be oriented so the water pressure forces paragraph (ii) below.
the escape flaps to sit tightly over the escape
opening. Float dimension requirements
• ‘Chunky’ knots may result in better flap performance. a) For TEDs with a circumference less than or equal
• Flaps may be tapered to increase the effective overlap to 305 cm, at least:
at the grid. (i) one ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) or

Turtle excluder devices

polyvinyl chloride (PVC) float 17.2 cm in
diameter × 2.2 cm in length or two EVA or
PVC floats 14.7 cm in diameter × 18 cm in
length.
(ii) one hard plastic float 25 cm (10") in diameter or
two hard plastic floats 20 cm (8") in diameter or
three hard plastic floats 15 cm (6") in diameter.

14
 b) For TEDs with a circumference greater than 305 Buoyancy requirements
cm, at least:
a) Where the buoyancy requirement of the TED is
(i) two EVA or PVC floats 17.2 cm in diameter x satisfied without the need for additional floatation
22.2 cm in length or four EVA or PVC floats 14.7 (i.e. plastic grids), the name of the manufacturer of
cm in diameter x 18 cm in length. the TED and density of the material used must be
clearly and permanently marked on the TED. The
(ii) one hard plastic float 25 cm (10") in diameter or marking must identify the density of the TED
two hard plastic floats 20 cm (8") in diameter or material to be less than or equal to seawater
three hard plastic floats 15 cm (6") in diameter. (<1.025 g/cm3). Where the density of the material is
less than that of seawater, no floats are required.
b) Where floats are required to meet buoyancy
requirements, they may be used in any
combination of size and buoyancy such that the
combined buoyancy of the floats equals or
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

exceeds the weight of the TED.

(i) Floats must be marked in legible raised or
recessed lettering that specifies the
buoyancy of the float in water (expressed in
grams or kilograms).
Figure 14. Examples of PVC/EVA floats (left) and hard plastic
(ii) TEDs must be marked in legible raised or
floats (right)
recessed lettering that specifies the weight
of the TED in air (expressed in grams or
kilograms).

15
 Turtle excluder devices
Figure 15. Required attachment and positioning of floats on TEDs. Figure 16. Floats attached inside the net must be behind the grid
Floats may be attached inside or outside the net but not to the flap

16
 TED maintenance schedule
Table 2. Schedules required to maintain TEDs during the fishing season

Component Inspection details Inspection frequency Suggested action

Bent or damaged bars, bar Straighten if possible or

Grid bars Daily
spacing replace

In the first week, daily for new Reattach grid to codend at

Grid angle Loss of angle
grid then weekly correct angle

Check for abrasion, frayed

Replace or retighten if
Grid bindings rope strands and loose Weekly
necessary
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

bindings

Damaged meshes adjacent

Repair or reattach adjacent
Escape opening the opening; mesh slippage Daily
meshes to grid frame
around frame of grid

Stretched or worn meshes and

Escape flap Daily Replace or reattach to codend
attachment to codend

Check strong attachment to

Floats Weekly Reattach to grid and codend
grid or codend

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Optimising TED performance
• W
 here possible, stretch the meshes around the grid so
they remain open during trawling; this has the potential
to reduce bycatch and, in the event of a blockage, may
prevent water exiting through the escape hole opening.
This design may be effective in scallop and deepwater
prawn fisheries. To stretch meshes, place the grid in a
section of net with a reduced circumference.
• A smaller bar spacing will exclude more bycatch species.
Further information
• B
 ent-bar grids can improve the speed of large animal For further information please contact:
exclusion and, consequently, reduce product loss.
Darren Roy
• G
 rid orientation can be altered to exclude particular Fisheries Management Officer
non-targeted groups. For example, downward-excluding Fisheries Queensland
grids are most suitable for excluding heavy, negatively Ph: (07) 3225 1870 or 0428 112 917
buoyant items (such as large sponges or rocks).
Eddie Jebreen
• W
 rong grid angle can cause prawn and scallop loss or
Manager (Fisheries Resources)
poor bycatch reduction. The relationship between grid
Fisheries Queensland
angle and size ensures efficient operation. Grid angle
Ph: (07) 3225 1842 or 0415 156 038
should be 30–55°.
• L arger escape openings improve the exclusion speed of

Turtle excluder devices

large animals and reduce prawn and scallop loss.
• M
 aintaining the flap material is critical to ensure the
flaps close over the escape hole opening effectively.

18
 Appendix
Table A. Minimum mesh counts required to meet 55o TED angle. The matrix accounts for variations in grid height and mesh size
(centre to centre) and allows the user to calculate the minimum number of meshes required to meet grid angle specifications

Mesh Size
(inches) 1 1/2 1 3/4 1 7/8 2 2 1/4 2 1/2 3 3 1/2 4
Mesh Size
(mm) (centre
of knot) 38 43 44 48 51 57 60 64 76 89 102
TED Height
(mm) 12 11 11 10 9 8 8 7 6 5 5
810
820 12 11 11 10 9 8 8 7 6 5 5
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

830 13 11 11 10 9 8 8 7 6 5 5
840 13 11 11 10 9 8 8 8 6 5 5
850 13 11 11 10 10 9 8 8 6 5 5
860 13 11 11 10 10 9 8 8 6 6 5
870 13 12 11 10 10 9 8 8 7 6 5
880 13 12 11 11 10 9 8 8 7 6 5
890 13 12 12 11 10 9 8 8 7 6 5
900 14 12 12 11 10 9 9 8 7 6 5
910 14 12 12 11 10 9 9 8 7 6 5
920 14 12 12 11 10 9 9 8 7 6 5
930 14 12 12 11 10 9 9 8 7 6 5

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Mesh Size
(inches) 1 1/2 1 3/4 1 7/8 2 2 1/4 2 1/2 3 3 1/2 4
Mesh Size
(mm) (centre
of knot) 38 43 44 48 51 57 60 64 76 89 102
940 14 13 12 11 11 9 9 8 7 6 5
950 14 13 12 11 11 10 9 9 7 6 5
960 14 13 13 11 11 10 9 9 7 6 5
970 15 13 13 12 11 10 9 9 7 6 5
980 15 13 13 12 11 10 9 9 7 6 6
990 15 13 13 12 11 10 9 9 7 6 6
1000 15 13 13 12 11 10 10 9 8 6 6
1010 15 13 13 12 11 10 10 9 8 7 6
1020 15 14 13 12 11 10 10 9 8 7 6
1030 16 14 13 12 12 10 10 9 8 7 6
1040 16 14 14 12 12 10 10 9 8 7 6
1050 16 14 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6
1060 16 14 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6
1070 16 14 14 13 12 11 10 10 8 7 6
1080 16 14 14 13 12 11 10 10 8 7 6

Turtle excluder devices

1090 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 10 8 7 6
1100 17 15 14 13 12 11 11 10 8 7 6
1110 17 15 14 13 12 11 11 10 8 7 6
1120 17 15 15 13 13 11 11 10 8 7 6

20
 Mesh Size
(inches) 1 1/2 1 3/4 1 7/8 2 2 1/4 2 1/2 3 3 1/2 4
Mesh Size
(mm) (centre
of knot) 38 43 44 48 51 57 60 64 76 89 102
1130 17 15 15 13 13 11 11 10 9 7 6
1140 17 15 15 14 13 11 11 10 9 7 6
1150 17 15 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 7 6
1160 17 15 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 7 7
1170 18 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7
1180 18 16 15 14 13 12 11 11 9 8 7
1190 18 16 15 14 13 12 11 11 9 8 7
1200 18 16 16 14 13 12 11 11 9 8 7
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Table B. Mesh counts required to meet minimum flap width dimensions for single and double flaps

Minimum Max mesh size Minimum number of

Flap type stretched width meshes required in
(each flap) (centre to centre) 50 mm mesh

Single flap 338 cm 50 mm 66

Double flaps 147 cm 50 mm 28

21
Table C. Mesh counts to be used as a guide for determining the minimum width of leading edge cuts for various mesh
sizes for single and double flap configurations (the leading edge cannot be selvedged)

Mesh size (mm) – centre of knot to centre of knot

Minimum
Flap leading
configuration edge width
(stretched) 38 43 44 48 51 57 60 64 76 89 102

Single 181 cm 47 42 41 37 35 31 30 28 23 20 17

Double 142 cm 37 33 32 29 27 24 23 22 18 15 13

Turtle excluder devices

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CS2023 10/12