Catch measurements

When is the trawl full?

That is an important question, and the catch measurement provides you with an “eye” at the cod-end. You can easily monitor the filling rate and the amount of fish in the trawl. This allows you to haul the trawl in just the right moment, saving time and fuel. The sensitivity of the sensor is easily adjusted for trawls of all sizes.

Why is this important?

Some professionals claim that the catch measurement is the most important measurement on the trawl. This is because it tells you the amount of catch in the cod-end.

Applications

The catch sensor simply monitors the expansion of the meshes in the cod-end. Once the volume caught is enough to expand the meshes, they will pull the detector wires and engage the sensor. The sensitivity of the sensor can easily be adjusted, just extend the detection rubber bands to span additional meshes.

To monitor the filling rate, we recommend that you use minimum two sensors. Place the first sensor at the far end of the cod-end, it will tell you that the trawl is actually fishing. Place the second sensor closer to the trawl opening. Once the trawl is filled to the chosen location, the sensor is engaged, and you know that it is time to haul.

Use the catch measurement to:

  • adjust the catch volume according to the production capacity
  • check that the trawl is fishing
  • adjust the caught volume to secure quality
  • minimize the towing time to save fuel

These are only a few of the reasons why this sensor is considered to be so important.