Dutch fishing company Cornelis Vrolijk and its subsidiary Jaczon are replacing their nylon trawls on board of their trawlers, used for catching pelagic species, by trawls made from DSM’s light and strong Dyneema fibre. The pelagic zone of the ocean includes everything but the bottom layer or benthic zone. Pelagic fishing is contained to fish inhabiting this section of open water that usually contains no plants or structure.

The use of this far thinner material in pelagic trawls is said to offer immediate and tangible environmental advantages, the manufacturer reports. The reduced resistance of the trawls in the water translates into a significant reduction in CO2 emissions, thus reducing the CO2 footprint of the pelagic fishing fleet.

“Positive results are coming in from all quarters,” said Johan Müller, Cornelis Vrolijk’s Fishing Fleet Manager. “We can also confirm a substantial reduction in fuel consumption and subsequent CO2 emissions.”

Innovative trawls

The innovative trawls made from Dyneema were developed by Maritiem BV in Katwijk, Netherlands, in close consultation with DSM. Around 90% of the trawl material is UHMwPE (ultra high molecular weight polyethylene) fibre, branded as Dyneema.

During both the design and use of the trawls, Maritiem worked closely with the relevant departments of both fishing companies and with the officers on board the vessels.

Dyneema fibre is used in hand-spliced front sections of the trawls, from mesh size 800 mm and up. According to Maritiem, some of these sections were previously made of knotted netting, but the knots were prone to slip. This does not happen with hand-spliced trawls. Dyneema can be used for these sections and it is also used for the selvedge lines and the frame ropes.

Environmental impact

In order to allow for a proper comparisons, identical trawls made of predominantly conventional materials such as nylon, were also carried on board some of the vessels. This made it possible to compare the performance of the different materials used in trawls of an identical design. The fishing company's assessment of the new trawls was extremely positive.

Eric Roeleveld, Operations Manager of Jaczon commented: “As a company specialised in pelagic trawling, we are profoundly aware of the environmental impact of our activities. One of our key drivers is to continuously look for increased sustainability in our fishing methods. We try to reduce our CO2 footprint wherever possible and support the FAO code of conduct for sustainable fisheries.”

Cornelis Vrolijk and Jaczon now have eight of the trawls made with Dyneema in use. The newly developed trawls made from lighter material is said to make them easier to handle and therefore safer in use for the crew.

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