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! Over-Spreading of R/V Bigelow Net is an EASY-FIX— PUT MAIN TOWING WIRES TOGETHER WHEN TOWING, over-spreading will decrease, but some over-spreading will occur because the net is too small, but catch rate will improve?
Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel has another problem with R/V Bigelow’s net. It under-spreads in shoal waters, Causes are using too much wire is being used at this depth, which causes a door to fall its back, also setting out too fast a door will fall on its back? There is a learning curve for setting doors in shoal waters, the slower, the better.
