Notwithstanding species-specific differences in catches and their possible mechanisms, both the 6-mm and soft-brush ground gears intuitively would have less benthic impact—especially on in fauna and flora. In particular, by being vertically suspended, the chains of the soft-brush would easily slide over sedentary organisms. Such a fishing mechanism was hypothesized to cause the minimal damage to red king crabs observed by Rose (1999).Within the conventional ground gears, the 8-mm chain appears the best option and indeed is preferred by local fishers, although some use a 10-/8-mm combination. It might be possible to augment capture by rigging a tickler chain (e.g. 2–4 mm chain) and