Trials with a new kind of fishing trap, the Japanese baited pot (JBP), were performed in the Atlantic for the first time, covering three target depths, 25 m, 75 m and 125 m in the Azores. The JBPs were proved to be efficient and highly specific to octopus. An average catch per unit of effort (CPUE) of 0.22 octopuses/trap/hour*100 was attained, and the highest mean value was reached at the shallowest depths (28 m ±4), with 0.33 octopuses/trap/hour*100. A decreasing CPUE with depth was observed, in accordance with what has been found for this species elsewhere. Considering the management measures enforced in the European Union for this species (minimum allowable catch size of 750 g), we found that ~25% of the caught octopuses by JBP were composed of marketable octopuses. The success of the JBP for Octopus vulgaris in the Azores and its specificity suggests that these traps may be useful for further stock assessment studies.
