What is bottom trawl gear? How does it work?
Bottom trawl gear, also known as an otter trawl, is a large cone-shaped net. During the fishing operation, these nets are towed along the seafloor with steel cables at relatively slow speeds of two to four knots. Rectangular “doors” are attached to cables between the boat and the net to keep the mouth of the net horizontally open while the net is being towed. A vertical opening of the net is maintained by weights on the bottom and floats on the top, as well as the water pressure generated from towing. The net traps fish in the bag-like section, while the mesh size permits smaller fish to escape. This gear is primarily used in the shrimp and groundfish fisheries. After several hours, the trawl is hauled onboard the vessel where the fish are removed from the net and stored in the hold. This cycle is then repeated.
