Tag Archives: R/V Bigelow Net
R/V Bigelow: Overspread, Under spread, or the Perfect spread.
Today both commercial and recreational fishermen believe that NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science is problematic while N.E. Trawl Panel Members who regulate the R/V Bigelow net, state there is a problem of over and under spreading which causes the net to fish inadequately. The N.E. Trawl Panel wants to put a Restrictor Wire between the trawl doors to stop the overspreading. I believe what they want to do will not work adequately, because if one door hits an obstacle the other door will be affected. Another issue would be dragging wire on the bottom of the ocean between the doors will affect the herding of fish. What will it take to address and fix the overspreading and under spreading and achieve the perfect spread at all times? >click to read< 21:01 Thank you, Captain Salvatore Novello, Gloucester, Massachusetts
To Whom This May Concern: Over-Spreading of R/V Bigelow Net
I believe that the Over-Spreading of NOAA’s nets used on their surveys began in the 1970s when NOAA changed from an old side-trawler which towed from the side of the vessel & the main towing wires were together. Then came the NOAA’S modern stern-trawlers & the main towing wires put 18 feet apart from each other wire. (R/V Delaware 2) R/V Bigelow main wires are 38 feet apart which causes over-spreading!! Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel has another problem with R/V Bigelow’s net. It under-spreads in shoal waters,,, >click to read< 19:32 By Sam Novello
