Detection ability of the TrawlEye
Because the TrawlEye is closer to the fish (when mounted on the headline) it has far better detection capacity than echo sounders mounted on the vessel. An experienced skipper will easily be able to tell whether he is seeing fish or bait, and whether he is fishing for the “right species”.
Wide-Beam & Narrow-Beam
With the many areas of application and different fisheries, Scanmar saw the need for two TrawlEye variants; The Wide-Beam TrawlEye was first launched on the market for low opening trawls, and is commonly used in white fish operations.
When fishing for shrimp or other species close to the seabed, the Narrow-Beam TrawlEye usually gives the best detection. It is also commonly used in pelagic trawling.
Bottom Trawling
The TrawlEye gives precise information about the trawl opening and contact with or clearance from the bottom. During bottom trawling this information is very useful to avoid losing bottom contact.
Pelagic Trawling
In pelagic trawling Narrow-Beam TrawlEye is most common, both in the trawl opening and in the belly.
Areas of application are even more varied compared to bottom trawling. Many use the TrawlEye as a headline sensor instead of trawl sonar, or as a replacement if the trawl sonar has broken down.
It will detect fish, not only in the trawl opening, but also above and under the trawl, and it provides full control of the distance to bottom.
TrawlEye in the belly
The belly is also an important area of application in pelagic trawling. Placed in a net pocket sewed into the centre of the mesh roof at the preferred area of the belly, it shows influx, height and distance from the bottom.
Many pelagic trawlers have begun to use an extra TrawlEye in the belly, often together with a FlowSensor or a CatchSensor with an Angle function, in order to ensure that what they see in the trawl opening ends up in the cod-end.