trawl
Quick Summary
A trawl is a conical net used in commercial fishing to catch fish by being dragged through the water or along the seafloor. Trawlers are specialized vessels designed for this purpose, varying in how they deploy and haul the nets. Side trawlers set nets over the side, while stern trawlers use ramps to haul catches aboard. Some modern trawlers are equipped as floating factories, processing fish at sea.12
Dragged gear, including trawls and dredges, is significant in commercial sea fisheries. Trawls can be used by small vessels or large, mechanized fleets. The net is bag-shaped with a wide opening and a closed end, designed to guide fish into it. To keep the mouth open, a beam or otter boards are used. Mid-water trawling targets fish between the ocean bottom and the surface, while bottom trawling can significantly disturb the seafloor and harm marine ecosystems.23
Bycatch, the unintentional capture of non-target organisms, is a concern with large nets like trawls. This can include fish, mammals, birds, and other animals, many of which are discarded back into the ocean, often dead or dying. Efforts are underway to develop solutions to reduce bycatch and its impact on marine life.4
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netSeine nets, trawls, dredges, and long lines are all varieties of surrounding nets. Of these, the most widely used are the seine and the trawl. Beach, or drag, seines can be hauled onto a beach with their contents; others, called purse seines, are operated from boats in…
Read MoreSeine nets, trawls, dredges, and long lines are all varieties of surrounding nets. Of these, the most widely used are the seine and the trawl. Beach, or drag, seines can be hauled onto a beach with their contents; others, called purse seines, are operated from boats in…
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trawler…fishing vessel that uses a trawl, a conical net that snares fish by being dragged through the water or along the bottom. Trawlers vary according to the method of towing the net. On side trawlers, the trawl is set and hauled over the side with power winches or manually by…
Read More…fishing vessel that uses a trawl, a conical net that snares fish by being dragged through the water or along the bottom. Trawlers vary according to the method of towing the net. On side trawlers, the trawl is set and hauled over the side with power winches or manually by…
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commercial fishingDragged netsAnother dragged net is the trawl, a large, cone-shaped bag of netting that is dragged along the seabed or towed in mid-water between the seabed and surface. Trawls are the most important fishing gear of the commercial fisheries of northwest Europe and are second only to purse seines in total…
Read MoreAnother dragged net is the trawl, a large, cone-shaped bag of netting that is dragged along the seabed or towed in mid-water between the seabed and surface. Trawls are the most important fishing gear of the commercial fisheries of northwest Europe and are second only to purse seines in total…
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commercial fishingDragged gearDredges and trawls are of great importance in commercial sea fisheries. Dredges are generally used in shallow water by small vessels, although a deep-sea dredge is operated by research vessels at depths of up to 1,000 metres. The simplest dredges in sea fishery are hand operated. Fitted…
Read MoreDredges and trawls are of great importance in commercial sea fisheries. Dredges are generally used in shallow water by small vessels, although a deep-sea dredge is operated by research vessels at depths of up to 1,000 metres. The simplest dredges in sea fishery are hand operated. Fitted…
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