Faroese fishing gear producer Vónin’s new Gannet3000 blue whiting trawl has delivered strong early results, with trials showing higher catch rates and easier handling at sea.
The Faroese vessel Christian í Grótinum has already decided to adopt the new trawl for future blue whiting fishing after four successful trips.
“This will be the trawl we use in Faroese waters,” skipper Bogi Rasmussen said.
A larger trawl with a new design
The Gannet3000 is Vónin’s latest and most extensive blue whiting trawl. It features 84-metre meshes at the front and a redesigned fore-net that prevents slack and tangles.
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The new frame also narrows more smoothly from front to rear, which makes the trawl easier to tow than earlier models.
Simulations predicted an opening of around 325 metres wide and close to 200 metres high, and early sea trials confirmed these figures.
First trips show strong performance
Trials began in late September along “Kantinum”, which is the local name for the eastern edge of the Faroese zone. The vessel alternated between the older Gannet2600 and the new Gannet3000, recording fuel use on every tow.
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While towing with the Gannet3000 uses about 10% more fuel, the skipper estimates the catch rate is about 50% higher per towing hour. Handling has also improved.
“It’s bigger, it fishes better, and it’s a lot easier to handle,” Rasmussen said.
Industry interest expected to grow
Vónin expects strong demand from the Faroese and Icelandic pelagic fleets, with potential uptake in Norway as well. Production of the new trawl is already being prepared at the company’s facility in Lithuania.
The design is intended for blue whiting in Faroese waters, where fish are more scattered, making a wide type of trawl more effective.
According to Vónin, the Gannet3000 could make the fishery more efficient at a time when blue whiting quotas are set to fall by 41% next year under the new coastal states agreement.