Faroese freezer trawler Brestir VA 705, which back in July began using the new 576-mesh bottom trawl from Vónin known as Infigo 576, has reported that the new gear is proving to be a success after months of fishing.
“This trawl has shown that it maintains the opening for longer, so it fishes longer and more effectively,” skipper Birgir Hansen stated, referring to the fact that in the Infigo 576 design, the fishing line is the same length as that of the previously used 400-mesh gear, while at the same time there’s much more netting in the upper section of it, providing a significantly larger opening compared to the older trawl.
“We’ve also noticed there are fewer stickers in the netting,” he added according to a Vónin news release.
The new trawl design is split in the aft section, with two bellies and two bags; so even if it’s much larger, it’s only marginally heavier to tow than the old gear, we’re told.
“This trawl tows well, even in heavy weather,” the skipper said. “The trawl is as robust as the old gear, and we’ve hauled it off a fastener and onto the deck with one parted bridle, and the damage was no more than we would have expected with the old trawl.”
“We haven’t even used the old gear since we started fishing with the Infigo gear,” Mr. Hansen further noted. “We fished so well on Greenland halibut off East Greenland that one of the skippers that were fishing next to us said we were getting with this trawl around two-thirds of what he was catching with two trawls. I’m so pleased with this trawl that it’s the only gear we’ve been using since it came on board last summer; and we have fished in East Greenland, UK waters and around the Faroe Islands.”
