Usage
Through all of our trials, we have not experienced an increase in fuel consumption and FloMo is in commercial use in New Zealand again with no reports of increased consumption from our Skippers.
In a beam trawl trial in the Netherlands, the Skipper was able to drop his trawl speed from around 6 knots to 4.5 to 5 knots with no adverse effect on catch which saved fuel.
In terms of drag, we have done trials using twin rigs and if a substantive difference in drag was present we would have seen that in the way the trawl behaved in these instances.
Equally, the FloMo design creates laminar non-turbulent flow, so you don’t have the washing machine effect of a traditional codend.
We can design a FloMo to meet each trawler’s needs and its lifting gear capabilities. To date, we have seen catches of 40 – 50 tons of fish.
FloMo has not yet been developed to handle large seining volumes.
We recommend for optimum catch quality that the ratio of fish to water in the lift bag is 50:50. The water volume is displaced by the catch volume. So a Hoki trawler in NZ will typically target 20 tons and haul that along with 20 tons of water.
FloMo can be easily de-watered on the stern ramp or alongside the vessel if desired or should the Liftbag predominantly contain seawater.
FloMo can be used to catch any species of fish that you would normally target with a traditional codend.
A Scampi design is in progress and if these trials are successful, we can then consider designs for prawn and shrimp.
We use different tensile strengths based on the bag size of the unit. Through our extensive trialling, we have refined and developed the materials to the point where they are as resilient as a traditional codend.
Some skippers in New Zealand have been using the same gear for 4-5 years.
It depends on the damage but rips and tears in the retention modules can be laced. In the rare instance of a module being severely damaged carrying a spare module to replace the damaged one is an easy and quick fix at sea.
The modules are simply lashed together.
FloMo will attach to most traditional trawl set-ups, and we have trialled FloMo in pelagic or mid-water and bottom trawls. That said we do not currently have a design for large pelagic or seining trawls targeting big volumes.
We currently have four sizes of FloMo units and from here we tailor the design based on the Fishery and the Vessel.
Yes
Sustainability
Longevity depends on many factors, the fishing environment, number of tows, size and type of catch, all influence how long the gear will last. We know that the lift bag and the last module in the chain wear fastest and can be replaced individually if required.
We have customers in the in-shore fleet in New Zealand who are using gear that is four years old.
The fact that FloMo floats means that we are less likely to have bottom contact but this an area the entire industry is focussed on working hard to lighten gear so again we are at least comparable if not better than a traditional codend.
FloMo is designed to float so the gear sits up off the bottom of the ocean. If bottom contact does occur inevitably then sand and mud can enter but like undersized fish, if it enters the FloMo the water flow can draw the sediment out of the escapement holes.
Large items will remain in the lift bag and come up with the catch. Should a significant object be in the gear and becomes a safety hazard then the lift bag can be opened, and the entire contents released at sea.
In the Netherlands dual rig trial, the traditional codend catch was infested with bryozoans whereas the FloMo catch had virtually none as they were selected out through the trawl.
In-trawl
No, it’s no different to a traditional codend. Despite having a sealed end, the retention modules allow water to flow through and out so there is no pressure wave created.
We conducted a 12-hour soak trial with New Zealand Hoki held at depth within FloMo and when landed were alive and in great condition ready to process as fillets rather than meal which a soak like this would usually result in.
It remains stable at depth and we do not have the washing machine effect that traditional methods create.
On-boat
No, but there are some differences in handling so the crew need to be trained from the information and resources we provide.
No, but to maximise the benefits that FloMo can provide, owners may want to consider changes to deck or processing layouts.
You would need to consult with a Naval Architect to check stability calculations and that the Liftbag can be dewatered as you haul the gear onboard. We then tailor FloMo to your vessel and your lift capacity so there is no real change to vessel stability as we match your current requirements. If free surface water on the vessel was a stability concern, then de-watering would resolve this.
De-watering can occur as you bring it alongside or onto the stern ramp reducing the volumes of water brought on board.
FloMo holds a cylindrical shape at the lift bag end so in a heavy sea it could roll but this can be managed with stropping.
Once we understand your requirements, we can discuss the cost and expected return on catch.