Fishing Methods

Towed and dragged gear

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 Fishing Methods
Trawling
Trawling is a fishing method which consists of dragging a
large bag made of netting over the sea bottom (bottom
trawling) or at any depth (floating or mid-water trawling).

Bottom trawling encompasses:

•  Side trawling
•  Stern trawling
•  Beam trawling
•  Pair trawling

Mid-water trawling encompasses:

•  Mid-water trawling or floating trawling
•  Pair mid-water trawling
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 Fishing Methods

Dredging
Dredging, also known as a scallop dredging,
oyster dredging, etc., is done with a kind of
dredge which is towed along the bottom of the sea
in order to collect a targeted edible bottom-dwelling
species. The gear is used to fish for scallops,
oysters and other species of clams, crabs, and sea
cucumber.

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Bottom Trawling

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Bottom trawling is done with a large bag-shaped net (1)

dragged along the sea bed. The mouth of the net is spread open
horizontally by two boards or doors (2) towed by two warps (3)
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•  There are mainly two types of trawl nets:

–  The otter trawl, with the boards close to the

wings.

–  The Vigneron-dahl trawl with the doors

separated from the wings by a lenght of line
known as the “ground cable” or “sweep line”.

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 Fishing Methods
Otter trawl

a: cod-end; b: headline; c: floats; d: ground rope; e:

back; f: square; g: wing; h: otter board; i: towing
warp; j: cod-end knot; k: splitting strap; l: bullrope or
pork line; m: quarter rope

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Vigneron-Dahl trawl

Boards or doors

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 Fishing Methods
There are several types of bottom trawlers:
−  Side trawlers
−  Stern trawlers (see further for details)
−  Beam trawlers (see further for details)
−  Pair trawling (see further for details)

Side trawler

a: foreward gallow; b: after gallow; c: warps; d: towing block; e: doors 8

 Fishing Methods
Side trawler

The trawler manoeuvres to haul in The net is ready to be heaved

the net to her windward side aboard by means of the quarter
ropes 9
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Side trawler

The cod-end is hoisted aboard . A sharp stroke releases

the cod-end knot allowing the fish to be spilled on deck 10
 Fishing Methods
Side trawler

The cod-end is hoisted aboard A sharp stroke releases the

cod-end knot allowing the
fish to be spilled on deck 11
 Fishing Methods
Stern trawler

The net is now handled from the stern of the trawler. Only the cod-end is heaved
aboard or, with modern stern trawlers, nearly the whole net is heaved on deck
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Stern trawler

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 Fishing Methods
Beam trawler

Beam trawling is a variation of the ordinary side trawling. Instead of one large net,
two smaller trawls are towed by two outrigger booms or fishing derricks, one on
each side of the vessel 14
 Fishing Methods

There are two main types of beam trawlers:

−  One using otter trawls
−  One using beam trawls

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 Fishing Methods

Beam trawler using otter trawls

a: otter trawl; b: otter board; c: towing warp; d: bridle; e: outrigger boom; f: try net
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Beam trawler using beam trawls

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Beam trawl

a: beam; b: shoe: c: cod-end; d: ground rope; e: bridle

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Beam trawler pulling two beam trawls

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The beam trawl is heaved alongside the vessel

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 Fishing Methods
The trawl is hoisted alongside the vessel

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 Fishing Methods
The cod-ends are likewise pulled on board

A beam trawler is also called a twin-rig trawler 22

 Fishing Methods
Mid-water trawling
The mid-water trawl is used to catch pelagic fish which
moves in schools at various depths between the
bottom and the surface of the sea

a: headline transducer; b: vessel transducer; c: electric cable; d: headline; e: float;

f: footrope; g: short wing; h: bidle; i: doors; j: weight; k: float; l: towing warp
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 Fishing Methods
Bottom pair trawling

Steel wire

Two trawlers pull one otter trawl.

The two bows are linked to each
other by means of a steel wire.
Never try to navigate between
both vessels.

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 Fishing Methods
Pair mid-water trawling

A: weights; b: floats
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 Fishing Methods
Dredging

© afma.gov.au
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