Single trawl fishery

Single trawling is fishing with one trawl net pulled by a vessel. The net is held open by so-called shear boards, which are attached to the sides of the net and fishing lines. When the vessel moves in the water, the boards shear outwards, pulling the net open in a horizontal direction. This technique is used for catching flatfish.

Dutch fishermen use a different net when catching roundfish such as cod, whiting, mackerel and herring, but the technique remains the same. The net of the roundfish trawl also has a funnel shape, but the top of the funnel is longer and protrudes far ahead of the bottom of the vessel. The net is also held open by the shear boards.

Roundfish trawl is slightly different from flatfish trawl. When roundfish are in danger of becoming entangled in the nets, the fish swim upwards to escape. As the funnel side is longer at the top, the fish cannot escape.

Foto: © Ecomare, Oscar Bos