New England Trawl Net Designs - Gearnet Trawl NetDeisgns.pdfNew England Trawl Net Designs In...

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New England Trawl Net Designs In Fulfillment of FMT 591 Directed Research The New England fisheries have relied upon two gore - (two seam) trawl nets, however, these designs have had major changes to the panial three seam or semi balloon trawls in the 1940s. The Atlantic Western Trawl or box trawl developed in the 1960s and was modified for West Coast fisheries (Fisher 1972) and it was a four seam - four gore trawl net plan- Model IV-A The box or four seam trawls have certain advantages as to their ability to incorporate square meshes for discard escape. At present, four seam trawls are not used for various reasons- higher cost - more labor - more time in repairing and replacing sections, and lack of appropriate size models for test tank display. A working model of an Atlantic Western Trawl net is currently proposed by Larry Fuller, a student in the two year fisheries program. A four seam trawl may offer certain advantages for discard study. Additional research on trawl net design is suggested. Rekeyed Sound School Adult Education, October 2011 For copies contact Susan Weber at [email protected] Submitted to: Mr. Alben J. Hillier Dr. John C. Sainsbury Dept. of Fisheries, Wickford, RI By Timothy C Visel Department of Fisheries & Marine Technology UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND - May 1980

Transcript of New England Trawl Net Designs - Gearnet Trawl NetDeisgns.pdfNew England Trawl Net Designs In...

Page 1: New England Trawl Net Designs - Gearnet Trawl NetDeisgns.pdfNew England Trawl Net Designs In Fulfillment of FMT 591 Directed Research The New England fisheries have relied upon two

New England Trawl Net Designs

In Fulfillment of FMT 591 Directed Research

The New England fisheries have relied upon two gore - (two seam) trawl nets,

however, these designs have had major changes to the panial three seam or semi

balloon trawls in the 1940s. The Atlantic Western Trawl or box trawl developed in

the 1960s and was modified for West Coast fisheries (Fisher 1972) and it was a four

seam - four gore trawl net plan- Model IV-A

The box or four seam trawls have certain advantages as to their ability to

incorporate square meshes for discard escape. At present, four seam trawls are not

used for various reasons- higher cost - more labor - more time in repairing and

replacing sections, and lack of appropriate size models for test tank display.

A working model of an Atlantic Western Trawl net is currently proposed by Larry

Fuller, a student in the two year fisheries program. A four seam trawl may offer

certain advantages for discard study.

Additional research on trawl net design is suggested.

Rekeyed Sound School Adult Education, October 2011 For copies contact Susan Weber at [email protected]

Submitted to: Mr. Alben J. Hillier Dr. John C. Sainsbury

Dept. of Fisheries, Wickford, RI

By Timothy C Visel

Department of Fisheries & Marine Technology UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND - May 1980

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Early Beam And Otter Trawl Net Plans & Diagrams

Dandy--+

DETAIL AT TRAWL HEAD

Foot-Rope QUdrter-Rope

~Belly " (und.'....lh)

Pocket PLAN .VIEW

Fig. 69. Beam trawl showing method of construction and side view of traw/head.

Codt:nd.

"-...... Botings ~ (A&OVE)

Bqlly. (UNDERNEATH.)

Squarez.Headlln<z

Floats.

Low (l r W;n9

·t·········.... Tickl~r Chain.

Hczadlln<Z.

Bosom PI~ccz.

Laccdridgc q~arter Ropcz.tTowing Warp.

Fig. 70. Otter trafvl. Although fishing skippers alter their trawls according to their own ideas, and for different purposes, variations can be referred to the type shown here.

From "An.Acc~u~t Of The Fishing Gear ..Qi England And Wales" F.M. DaV1S Mlnlstry of Agriculture, Fisheries And Food. London: Her }~jesty;s Stationary Office 1923.

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Preface

The modern trawl is one of the most important and effective active fishing

method used in present day fisheries. Its origin can be traced to Europe where

it was developed from drags and dredges and generally had a conical bag-like shape

with a supporting beam at the "trawl Head"{see diagrams). These nets became known

as "Beam Trawls" and were very effective in capturing demersal fish such as flounder.

The beam trawl soon proved to be rather cumbersome and its efficacy depended

upon the size of the fishing vessel itself. Otter trawls using otter boards re­

palces the awkward beam trawls. Successful modern otter trawling operations were

underway in Denmark and England around the turn of the 19th century.

The introduction of the beam and otter trawls into New England developed our

groundfisn fisheries. Each trawl has its own distinct construction pattern or net

plan. Since their int~oduction trawl net plans show how trawl net designs have

progressed. Fully understanding these different trawls, with respect to design

advantages or disadvantages, should show how modern trawls developed.

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Early Beam And Otter Trawl Net Plans & Diagrams

SqUARE

At-------IB a

A E

B e

" 0I'

/ I,,

R c BOTTOM COD-END

t'

h

I~ig. 71. Plan of Beam trawl. A. Back. B. DeIly.

Fig.' 72. Plan of Otter trawl. A. Back. B. Belly.

T

A

m, ,, \ I

. n\...{p w··}

d C BOTTOMB COD-END

E F e, r

From "An Account Of The. Fishing Gear Of England And \~ales"

F.M. Davis Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries And Food. London: Her Majesty's Stationary Office 1923.

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Abstract

Although the modern trawl is one of the most important and effective active

commercial fishing method~,it has evolved only recently. Its origin can be traced

to Europe where it developed into a distinct type of fishing gear. Subsequent design

changes have influenced trawl net plans or pattern thoughout the world. Researching

the design concepts of some unique early trawls may help to explain how trawl net

designs have progressed since their introduction into New England. Investigating

early trawl designs would also provide fishermen and other interested parties with

a cohesive history of how some trawl net designs have evolved in respect to inherent

advantages or disadvantages.

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Introduction

By all acoounts, the modern bottom trawl originated in Europe and was de­

veloped from a much more primitive device. According to F.M. Davis, (The Fishing

Gear Of England And Wales. 1923) the "trawlll probably originated from an oyster

dredge or seine. Davis used as his explanation of the history of trawls, an article

from the Fish Trades Gazette (1921). It states that as early as 1376 Engli~h oyster­

men were complaining about the use of a "wondyrchoun" which was used for fishing

but at the same time gathering oysters. Davis decribes the wondyrchoun as "it was

three fathoms long and tern of men's feet wide, ant the net has a beam of wood ten

feet long at the of which were two frames formed lick a cole rake; that a leaded

rope weighted with many great stones was fixed on the lower part of the net between

the two frames; ant that another rope was fixed with nails on the upper part of the

beam, so that the fish entering the space between the beam and the lower net were

caught. The net had meshes (maskes) of the length and breadth of two men's thumbs".

Davis further states that "It is also known that trawling must have existed in Flanders

in the fifteenth century as it was prohibited in 1499, the prohibition being renewed

in 1509 and 1594. The reasons for the Flanders prohibition and the petition against

the wondyrchoun were the smae as those that continue to crop up even in modern times

(1923)t namely scraping up the bottom and destruction of shelter, food, spawn and fry

of fish.

Eventually, this early conical net with a wide mouth kept open by a fixed rigid

beam of timber developed into a well defined gear type commonly referred to as a "beam

trawl". The beam trawl is considered the first true "trawl" as a distinct fishing

gear. The design of the beam trawl consists of two tapered 11bellys" (top & bottom),

one "square". (rectangular section), two tapered lower "wings", and a "cod end".

The bottom panel contains the bottom as lower wings, bottom belly, and bottom section

of the cod end. Once these two panels are completed they are then 1lgoredt1 together

forming a conical bag of webbing. The lower wings are attached to the trawl heads,

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the bottom belly was hung to a "footrope" and the square was attached directly to

the beam. The wooden beam was supported by angular, iron, trawl heads. The distance

between the beam and footrope depended upon the height of these trawl heads. The

beam trawl would prove to be rather cumbersome and the length of the fishing vessel

became a limiting factor on the size of the beam trawl used. Fishermen needed a

trawl that had no restrictions on the length of the vessel. For example, a 30 foot

smack could not tow a 50 foot beam trawl. The "otter trawl", developed around the

turn of the century, utilized "otter doors" or otter'· boards to ~eep the now free

wings apart when the trawl was being towed. F.M. Davis credited the development of

the otter board to Irish fishermen, who used a similar device on the surface of lakes

and streams to catch trout and salmon. These surface otter boards were designed to

"sheer away from the boat on the quarter" enabling a line to be kept taut. Lines

were then attached to this line with flys and lures used for trolling trailing off

them. The action and appearance of these surface boards no doubt looked like or

acted like otters swimming through the water. Today, trawl doors are attached to

the wings of a trawl to provide the spreading force needed to the keep the mouth

open, allowing the fish to enter the belly section of a trawl. The otter trawl soon

proved to be efficient and profitable. The large, hard to handle beam trawls, were

quickly discarded for the larger, yet less awkard otter trawl.

Today generally, a trawl net is described as a funnel shaped device constructed

of net "webbing" that is towed along the sea floor behind the fishing vessel. A net

of this design requires a steady, strong, pull to the "wings ff spread apart and guide

the fish past the "bellys" and finally into the "cod end".. The trawl net consists

of many sections and distinct parts; the headrope, main body (bellys) cod end, sweep

(footrope) and wings. Floats are attached to the headrope keeping the net open

allowing fish to enter while the sweep is in close contact with the sea bottom.

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New England Trawls

When New England fishing vessels depended on sail for propulsion, beam trawls

were fished with success. It soon became apparent however, that New England trawlers

outfitted with a steam engine enjoyed a decided advantage over sail powered vessels.

In Europe, after the development of the stearn engine and later maine engines such

as diesels, "otter trawling" soon displaced the earlier methods of fishing such as

hand line, seines, and long line dories!i.used by offshore fishing schooners. With the

extra power required to tow otter trawls and their doors, European fishermen experi­

mented with various rigging techniques. The transition from beam trawls to otter

trawls, at the turn of the century, occurred slowly in New England. In Europe

however, traditional beams trawls were raidly replaced with the "fly backed beam

trawl",. In this modification of the beam trawl, the square is reduced with the

addition of two "top wings", The square is no longer attached to the beam, but

hung on a section of rope called the "headrope", The top wings are also hung to

the headrope which is now attached to the iron trawl heads. The beam was next

replaced with doors creating the first otter trawl. In New England, several trawl

net designs were being ua~~ also experimented with during this period. These designs,

no doubt, originated from individual construction techniques. It would be virtually

impossible to follow the exact development of New England trawl net designs. It

is possible however to follow the basic design changes that occurred as New England

fishermen first started trawling.

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Beam Trawls

The first trawls used in New England were the beam trawls. A sample beam

trawl net plan helps show the basic design principals. The plan of a beam trawl for

a forty foot smack is typical fa the type and size used in New England. This type

of beam trawl was popular around the turn of the century (see diagrams).

Flounder Drags

A flounder drag is a very primitive trawl. Originally a flounder drag, or

flounder gore, was a tapered section of webbing that was folded and gored to form

a cylinder. This single gore was placed on top and two rectangular wings were

attached at each edge of web cylinder. This early trawl had no apron or "overhang",

the usual function of the square. By the late 1920's this single gore drag lost

much of its popularity, (American Linen Thread Manual 1928). The two gore flounder

drag became popular in the 1930's and 1940's with variations still existing today.

they are similar to the one gore trawls although the top and bottom bellys are

gored up to the beginning of the wings as with the single gore drags the gore

ends.

Flat Nets

Flat nets are very similar to the flounder drags. The wings are rectangular

but are gored together for the entire lengbh of the trawl. Small triangular sections

are joined to the wing and belly section as with the two gore flounder drags. A

small between the triangular corners and the top belly. The difference between

the cut out section of the bottom belly and the hand knit section of the top

belly creates the roof or overhang. These trawls are still used in many areas of

New England primarily from small boats. The design, no doubt, is a very old one.

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Nantucket. Trawl

The "Nantucket Trawl" is again similar to the early flat and flounder trawls.

The Nantucket trawl consists of a top and bottom belly, two wings and four triangu­

lar corner sections. As with the flat nets, a section of webbing is cut out of the

bottom belly creating "the overhang. This trawl was used on medium sized vessels for

both groundfish and bottom fish. The wings of this trawl were tapered at the "door

end" to accomodate" the attachment of doors. The doors were attached directly to the

wing ends. The wings of this trawl show what came to be known as "wing trawls" or

trawls in which the wings we.re longer that the depth of the bellys. In these trawls

wings were just lengthened when a larger trawl were desired.

Clark Cotton Trawls

The "Clark Cotton Trawls" was a much larger trawl built similar to the

Nantucket trawl (1930-1940). The trawl consists of four wings, a top and bottom

belly, a graquated extension, and four triangular corner sections. The wings are

tapered to facilitate the height of the doors. As with the Nantucket Trawl, the

doors were connected directly to the wing ends. The bottom belly is cut out~to~

the edge of each wing, again creating:: the overhang ahead of the sweep. This trawl

also utilizes large mesh size in the wings and belly to reduce resistence. The wings

are also very long in relation to the depth of the belly sections.

Long Island Balloon Trawls

The Long Island Balloon ,Trawl is a trawl with distinct design change from the

earlier flat and flounder drags. In this trawl a "wedge" section is place below

a rectangular wing. This wedge section greatly increases the height of the wing

and correspondlingly the wing end height. Overhang is created by cutting avay a

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small section of the bottom belly. Thus this trawl is able to capture high swimming

off bottom species of fish such as fluke and scup. As with the previous trawls, four

triangular sections are used on the top and bottom bellys to reduce stress on the

wings. This trawl is also one of the first to be a four gore trawl in the bellys and

a two gore trawl in the wings. This type of trawl is still used in southern fisheries

for shrimp.

Cruz Cotton Trawls

The Cruz Cotton Trawl (1930-1935) could be considered a transitional trawl. In

this design the bottom belly is no longer cut away in order a create the overhang.

The reation of the overhang ahead of the sweep is created by the addition of a

rectangular square section. The bellys are also graduated, that is they contain

differing mesh sizes. Cruz Cotton trawls resemble the earlier trawls in so much as

they still have the four triangular sections to reduce stress between the square and

bottom belly. Wings are slightly tapered toward the door end. Simular to the

balloon trawls, the gore of the cruz cottom trawl st~ps at the bellys. This trawl

was used for groundfish such as yellowtail flounder, cod, and haddock.

Cruz Manila Trawls

The Cruz Manila Trawls (1940-1945) contains several design changes. This trawl

contains the top and bottom wings, a rectangular square, and top and bottom graduated

bellys. The wings consist of several sections which are sewn together before being

attached to the wings as earlier trawls but runs the entire length of the trawl.

The design concept is very much like the trawls used today, although this type of

trawl is no longer in use.

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Yankee Trawls

"Yankee Trawls" of European design replaced the Icelandic trawls in New England

in the early 1940's. Severe difficulties in obtaining pre-tapered net sections arid

the nets themselves caused the popularity of the Icelandic Trawls to fade. All net

sections for the Yankee Trawls were originally imported from Europe, Today pre­

cut sections and complete trawls are available from domestic twine lofts. The"

Yankee~ series trawls are all two panel and still can be found aboard trawlers in

many New England ports.

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Conclusion

Trawling for both bottom and off bottom fish has developed several New England

fisheries. The development of trawls and supporting deck equipment continues as

vessel requirements for certain fisheries change. The design of the trawls them­

selves however have remained fairly consistent. Advances in net design have been

slow and many fishermen resist attempts to modify present fishing methods or practices.

The best example of this slowness to accept improved fishing procedures lies with

the Vigneron Dahl Trawl. This trawl was developed in France for use in bottom

fisheries about 1920. The "V.D." trawl utilized "bridles" of rope and wire between

the trawl and the trawl doors. The use of ground cables and_legs greatly increased

the efficiency of the trawl. It was not accepted and fished by Stonington Connecticut

fishermen however, until 1958 or about four decades later. European designs and

trawling equipment will in the forseeable furure, influence New England fisheries,

as the art and practice of trawling has been developing there for centuries. I'm

also certain the improved trawl designs will be developed from within the New

England Industry. The collection of early trawl net designs clearly proves the

ability to experiment with trawls and to adapt trawls for the unique conditions of

the New England trawl fisheries.

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BEAM TRAWL NET PLAN (1900)

Bottom Panel... ------.-iillllillll-..... -'~ A.U.'"· .... '.~" •.•. "" "'t:-...TOD Panel .

4" Mesh 4" }lesh M"") ~

4" Mesh4" Mesh

4" Mesh 4" Mesh

60

25 d 60

60

25 d

60

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TWO GORE FLOUNDER DRAG NET PLAN (1910)

'T nn _uP_..QnLJ:p~l "Rn""""I"'\'fn "P~~1 ~--\'"

~ ~4" Mesh

4" Mesh

\ 84 ,

4" Mesh 80 d 4" Mesh

r:25 /

5~ 50 d I 3" Mesh I 50 d .

3" Mesh

65

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FLAT NET NET PLAN (1920)

Top Panel

Bars

A 26 d

A

54

26 26 d 26

Bottom PaTlPl

1212 1212

80 dl 4" Mesho d4" Mesh lr') ~

4" Mesh4" Mesh

3" Mesh3" Mesh

..... IIU"..'~.... i:t. Uf ' J > -" __

30

20 d

30

30 20 d

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LONG ISLAND BALLOON TRAWL NET PLAN

Bottom PanelTop Panel

38 d 38 d 4" Mesh4" Mesh ~ ~

4" Mesh

80 u 4" Mesh

60 /

I I 3" Mesh60 100 d

, 2.Q 50

I SOlOOld 2.5" Mesh

~ J

48 d

64

3" Mesh

2.5" Mesh

48

64

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CLARK COTTON TRAWL NET PLAN (1930)

Top Panel I Bottom Panel

\ 35 d I

\ - -,-+" /

6" Mesh6" Mesh

"­~

6" MeshI6" Mesh

I 5" Mesh5" Mesh

30

/I~ , 30

50 d 4" Mesh 50 d I 4" Mesh

.42 42 25 d

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63 ··d

166 25 d 131 m

Too Panel

37

\68

5;----{53

36,A,,A,

65.5

Bottom Panel

I 37

68 4" MeshI

53

53 , 4" Mesh 65.5

4" Mesh 00 I. ~ / A ~I 1 I

54 'A' L.J U/ 4" Mesh 1 \ - . - I 4" Mesh

3" Mesh 3" Mesh

3" Mesh84 d3" Mesh

54 I\

112 27 d 112

39

84 d

39

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I

I

I

I

IlI

CRUZ MANILA TRAWL NET PLAN

Bottom PanelTop

65

17

Panel

176 154 154

~ 80 d 80

6" Mesh65

17

6" Mesh

6" Mesh

29 d 6" Mesh

5" Mesh

4" Mesh

3" Mesh

,3" Mesh

67 d

24.5

I I 30 d \

I \

I

6" Mesh67 d

24.5

24.5-24.5

I 30 d I 6" Mesh

29 d I 6" Mesh

5" Mesh

4" Mesh

Mesh

I 80ld 3" Mesh

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NANTUCKET TRAWL NET PLAN (1940)

Bottom PanelTr\n .. P!:ln.aJ

18 18

110 100 dl 4" Mesh

32 32

32 32

55 d I ... A

55 d I 4" Mesh 0 ~

4" Mesh4" Mesh Q() - ­

\ C 20 d /

55 d 4" Mesh 4

50

1955 d Mesh

40

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5" Mesh

YANKEE 36 TRAWL NET PLAN (1945)

Tf"'\1"\ P~no1

sq 50 d

50

5" Mesh

5" Mesh

4.5" Mesh

Bottom Panel

5" Mesh

~

N

Mesh

5" Mesh

4.5" Mesh

50

50 d

50

5"