Technical specifications of Mediterranean trawl gears

A new tool has been developed with the aim of collecting information on fishing trawl gears. All the collected elements can contribute to study and limit the fishing effort as well as to minimize the environmental impact of fishing gears. Information can be useful also to evaluate the potential harvesting pattern of different gears in terms of explored area during fishing operations and thus contributing to underpin specific management measures of fishing capacity. On the basis of the information collected and measured in relevant Mediterranean fishing fleets, minimum, maximum and mean dimensions of different parts of the fishing gears/otterboard dimension/engine power and vessel metrics have been assessed. Parameters such as fishing circumference, headline and footrope length are proposed. Such information allow for a check-up of existing fishing gears as well as to evaluate possible improvements coming from modifications in some fishing gears.