The overall goal of the formal 5 week long course is to provide theoretical knowledge and practical training in fishing technology. A holistic view is taken of
fishing technology. The act of fishing is viewed as the an integrated process where due consideration must be taken of the design and materials used to produce the fishing gear, the biology and
behaviour of the fish being caught, the environmental conditions on the fishing grounds and the design and operation of the vessel used to deploy the gear and the equipment used to monitor the
environment, fish concentrations and the fishing gear.
Main topics are:
1. Fishing gear design (10 days).
· Study of nets and ropes, the material used and their properties.
· The design of main types of fishing gear and their technical specifications
· Interpreting technical drawings, standards and basic calculations.
· Maintenance of fishing gear
· factors affecting the durability and longevity of gear
· recording maintenance history
· Computer assisted gear design
· Making models of gear and testing them.
2. Existing commercial fishing gear and fishing methods (2 days)
· General principles of fishing gear design
· Construction and application of main gear types
3. Naval architecture (3 days).
· Basic principles in vessel design
4. Fish finding and fishing gear monitoring devices (2 days).
· Fish finding equipment, design and operation
· Gear monitoring techniques
5. Fish behaviour and their reaction to fishing gear (3 days)
· Senses
· Swimming ability
· Reaction to different types of fishing gear
6. Gear selectivity and fishing gear research - (3 days).
· Factors affecting selectivity
· Estimating selectivity
· Estimating catchability
· Fish exclusion devices
· Research for the fishing gear of the future
7. Synthesis. A theory of hunting and future developments (1.5 days).
· The master fisherman
· how does he gather information, process it and make decisions
· his relationships with crew, management, authorities and researchers.
