A pelagic gear arrangement that until recently was “a few boats trying it out,” according to Swan Net Gundry’s trawl designer Cathal Boyle, has now been adopted by more than 30 pelagic vessels.
There has been a long process of development behind SNG’s Fast Flow brailer, an idea that has been through flume tank and full-scale testing before going into commercial use. The Fast Flow brailer has the capacity to hold almost double the volume of fish of a standard pelagic codend, while the length is reduced from 80 to 60 metres.
This additional provides a significantly larger area for the fish to move around in during the tow, and one pelagic skipper reported back to SNG that the fish stayed up as high as the spitter and after the gear had been hauled from 70 fathoms, the majority of the fish were alive as they were pumped into the tanks.
Improving fish quality and the price fishermen get for their catch is one of SNG’s core aims, according to Cathal Boyle.
He commented that one of the main benefits of the fish, and mackerel in particular, being in this good state as they are pumped aboard is not just that they are in top condition, but because they have not been stressed or compacted in any way during the tow.
Fillets taken from samples of these fish show practically zero blood spotting through the flesh – an issue which has previously resulted in a proportion of fish being unsuited for international pelagic markets as when on display, as the sight of such blood spots leads the consumer to believe that this is fish of poor quality.
The new brailer design has been partnered with SNG’s new bag handling system, in which the conventional steel rings at the splitter are replaced with DynIce-strengthened loops.
As well as being lighter than the standard metal rings, this greatly reduces the constant minor tears and tangles that have always occurred due to metal rubbing against netting.
“We place great emphasis on innovation and, in a case such as the Fast Flow brailer, improving the water flow, removing large steel rings at the splitter and widening the brailer have combined to now give fishermen a better quality of fish and in turn a better price for their catches,” Cathal Boyle said, adding that good news travels fast and there has been a steady stream of enquiries from pelagic vessel owners across the international industry regarding the new brailer.
“We have new technology that, while it won’t increase the volume of your catch, it will almost certainly increase the return you are getting for your fish,” he said.
“Buyers have always made it clear that top quality returns top dollar. Now this quality issue is set to become a thing of the past.”
