Tramel Nets

[Guest]

Anyone had problems with the long (1 nm) nets that are currently laid 1nm off Reculer Towers (N.Kent Coast) right in the channel used by sailing vessels when going either direction from Medway/Thames to Ramsgate? I found myself in between 3 lines of them with buoys every 200'

 

[Guest]

I haven't been down past Reculver yet, but was horrified at the massive number of "floats" (many were old bottles) in four fathoms channel, where it meets the entrance to the Swale near the Spaniard buoy.

I assumed that these were for lobster/crab pots. With a little chop & the speed of the tide, it was very difficult to spot these floats & even more difficult to establish if they were singles or joined.

My boat has outdrives (it's not only siling vessels that use these channels), so cannot be fitted with rope cutters, more's the pity.

The fishermen in this area do not seem to be particularly considerate or responsible in where they drop their lines.

 

[Guest]

I wonder if the fishermen could use a better indicator system to let us know if they (the pots) are singles or part of a string. Most dahns have black flags so that the fishermen can see them better at distance. What if the outer marks had say Yellow on as well, at least it would give us a fighting chance to avoid a string?

 

[Guest]

That sounds like a good idea, but I suspect that if the fishermen are irresponsible enough to lay them across the channel, they will not be interested in being helpful.

I have heard rumours that some of the marks are so small because they don't want competitors to find their marks easily.

 

[peterb]

Fishing techniques

In some areas the nets are bottom nets, extending only perhaps a metre above the bottom but with risers to surface floats which act as markers. There may then be little danger from a marker unless you hit it so squarely that the marker itself goes into the prop.

Maybe there is scope here for a YM article on fishing techniques. I understand, for instance, that the old drift nets were laid out in line with the wind, and that the drifter then sat at the leeward end drifting slowly backwards while holding the net straight; from the point of view of a small boat, she would appear to be pushing the nets to windward. How does a seine purse fishing vessel work? How close behind a trawler is it safe to pass? I can't remember seeing any information of that sort in any yachting mag, and it could be quite useful.

 

[Guest]

Re: Fishing techniques

I must admit to having been a pot fisherman in the past and I tended to lay the first pot (with marker) then the rest were on the string.This was so that it was easy for me to pick up the complete string.The marker always runs down tide so I knew that I was perfectly safe to approach the marker from the downtide side.Now that I sail I am quite happy to pass a marker very close on the downtide side because the line is streamed out on the opposite side.However there are now a lot of nets(rather than pots) that float just below the surface and I find it difficult to workout which way the set is running.When I see a marker, I'm not sure which end I'm at,or if I'm in the middle.At this point I normally reach for the thottle lever and wait and hope.I agree that YM should run an artical to stir up some debate on the issue, after all, I dont want to get my prop fouled and I'm sure the fisherman doesn't want to lose his pot (net) because I have cut it??