The Physical Behavior of Seine Ropes for Evaluating Demersal Seine Fishing1

Abstract

Demersal seining is an active bottom fishing method, which applies seine ropes and a seine net. The seine ropes and net are laid out on the fishing ground with the seine ropes encircling an aggregation of fish on the seabed. The area on the seabed encircled by the seine ropes is typical much larger than the swept area that will be covered by the seine net during the fishing process. Therefore, the catching performance of a demersal seine depends on the efficiency by which the seine ropes are able to herd the fish into and maintain them in the path of the net until they are overtaken by it in the late stages of the fishing process. This article describes flume tank experiments to validate a numerical model. This model simulates the physical behavior of seine ropes during the fishing process. The experiments are conducted for varying physical properties of the ropes and for different layout patterns. The seine ropes are hauled back at different speeds. A motion tracking system, based on stereo vision, is applied to record the gradual change in the area encircled by the ropes. The experimental results from the flume tank are compared with data obtained using the simulation model. Finally, the validated simulation model is applied for predictions.