Fishing Boat Types and Techniques
Bottom Trawling
Bottom trawling is a commercial fishing technique that involves dragging a large, weighted net along the sea floor to catch bottom-dwelling species of fish and other marine organisms.
The primary gear used in bottom trawling consists of a cone-shaped net with a wide opening and a narrow end called the cod end, where the fish is collected. The net is often reinforced with metal chains and rollers to withstand contact with the seafloor. Trawl Doors are large, heavy plates attached to the sides of the trawl net. They help keep the mouth of the net open as it is dragged through the water. Long cables, called warps, connect the net to the boat.
A trawler is a specialized fishing boat used to tow the net. Trawlers can range in size from small boats to large factory ships capable of processing the catch on board. The target species for bottom trawling includes a variety of species, such as cod, haddock, flounder, hake, sole, and scallops.
Day Boats
These boats operate for short periods, typically returning to port within 24 hours, and are smaller than trip and multi-day boats. They fish near the shore or within a few hours of the home port. Day boats have smaller crew sizes due to shorter trips and smaller vessel capacity. Fish landed by day boats are typically the freshest possible catch because they are processed or sold the same day as being caught. Many of Turner's local landings come from the Gloucester day boats.
Trip Boats
These boats operate for a few days to a week, typically ranging from 2 to 7 days. They are medium-sized vessels, larger than day boats but smaller than multi-day boats. Because they are larger, trip boats venture further from shore, accessing more distant fishing grounds with the ability to catch a larger quantity and variety of fish. Medium-sized crews handle the extended trips and larger catches. These fishing vessels constitute a majority of the Gloucester fleet.
Multi-Day Boats
Operates for extended periods, ranging from several days to months at sea. These are the largest types of fishing vessels, often equipped with processing and freezing facilities on board. They can travel to distant and deep-sea fishing grounds with large crews to manage extensive operations and onboard processing facilities. Multi-day boats are capable of catching and processing significant volumes of fish. These boats are highly efficient and can process and freeze fish immediately, maintaining quality over long periods.