DSM Dyneema is to present the results of new research that confirms use of its Dyneema ultra-strong lightweight fibre in fishing nets can yield major energy savings for fishermen, and make an important contribution to the sustainability of the fishing industry.

The company will talk about the results and conclusions of its latest ‘eco-footprint’ analysis at the Energy use in Fisheries Symposium, which takes place in Seattle on November 14-17.

DSM Dyneema commissioned an independent consultancy to quantify the impact of the use of Dyneema fibre all along the value chain in the commercial fishing industry. The study by Triple Value Consultancy focused mainly on wild catch in pelagic zones. Triple Value developed two case studies of boats fishing in the North and North-East Atlantic for herring and mackerel.

The study results will highlight that the lower weight of nets made with Dyneema, together with the lower drag that they create in the water, enable fishermen to make significant fuel savings when compared to lower performance alternatives.

“We have been saying for a long time that Dyneema has major advantages over steel wire and other synthetic fibres in netting and rope,” says André van Wageningen, Global Marketing Manager for commercial fishing at DSM Dyneema. “Now we have data from the market to prove it.”