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Trawling means drawing
a large seine-like gear with a motor vessel. A modern trawl is
a huge and complex gear which with its movements guides the fish
towards the end of its bag. The mouth of the trawl can be tens
of meters wide and high, and the actual gear can be several hundred
meters long. When the trawl is in the water the vessel is steered
where the fish is expected to be found. There is a sonar at the
mouth of the gear sending signals to the bridge about the amount
of fish caught in the trawl. This enables the evaluation of a
sufficient trawling time.
A modern trawler is
equipped with instruments and devices which make the work lighter.
The vessel is navigated with aid of the nautical charts and the
position of the vessel is shown on a computer screen. The computer
also has the routes of earlier fishing trips registered. Electronic
devices are also used to locate the fish. Sheltered from the
winds, below the deck, are the refrigerated hold and the rooms
for handling the fish. Machinery is used for putting out and
hauling up the trawl, and conveyors are used for transferring
the catch on board the vessel.
On a modern trawler,
safety at work is also better than earlier, which is important
in winter conditions especially. In recent years EU has subsidised
the education of fishermen in the use of rescue and fire-fighting
equipement.

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