Trawler
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A modern Icelandic trawler |
A
trawler is a
fishing vessel designed for the purpose of operating a
trawl, a
net that is dragged along the bottom of the
sea (or sometimes above the bottom at a specified depth).
A
trawler can also refer to a
cruising trawler which is a recreational boat so named because it resembles a fishing trawler.
Modern "rock hopper" nets have heavy rubber wheels that let the net crawl over rough ocean bottoms without tearing on rocks.
Sailing trawlers were limited to trawling at depths of 55-75
metres, but modern trawlers often trawl to 900 metres, with experiments having gone even deeper. Sizes of modern trawlers vary, but range up to 2,500 to 3,000
tons.
Refrigeration machinery aboard lets trawlers stay out for several weeks filling the hold.
In the Middle Ages,
Brixham was the largest fishing port in the South-West, and at one time it was the greatest in England. Brixham is also famous for being the town where the fishing trawler was invented.These elegant wooden boats were invented in Brixham in the 19th century, and copied all over the world, influencing fishing fleets everywhere. Their distinctive sails even inspired the song '
Red Sails in the Sunset' which was written aboard a Brixham sailing trawler called the '
Torbay Lass'. Known as the "Mother of Deep-Sea Fisheries", its boats sailed all round the coats and helped to establish the fishing industries of
Hull,
Grimsby and
Lowestoft. In the 1890s there were about 300 trawling vessels here, each owned by one man who was often the skipper of his own boat
One of the biggest ports in England for trawlers was the city of
Kingston upon Hull (or simply 'Hull') in
Yorkshire on England's north-east coast.
The largest fishing port in
Europe from the 1970's onwards has been
Peterhead in the North-East corner of Scotland. In its prime in the 1980's Peterhead had over 500 trawlers staying at sea for a week each trip. Peterhead has seen a significant decline in the number of vessels and the value of fish landed due to the impact of the
European Union fishing policies. These policies, which have been based on controversial scientific advice, have resulted in a concerted effort to reduce the size of the Scottish fishing fleet.
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the O.129 Amandine was the last Belgian trawler operating in Icelandic waters |
During
World War I and
World War II, many trawlers were used as
minesweepers, the activities being similar, and both the crew and the equipment aboard already suited to the task.
During the
Cold War, some countries often used trawlers outfitted with additional electronic gear to monitor the activities of their enemies: see
spy ship.
*
Vigilance - A Brixham Trawler*
Budding Rose - A Scottish Trawler*
European Union Fishing Directorate*
Trawler History*
In pictures*
Pictures of 2006 Trawler Race at Weymouth
