Bottom-Stowed Ropeless Fishers : ropeless fisher

Ropeless Fisher is a fishing technology from Desert Star Systems that eliminates traditional surface buoys and ropes from the water column and stows them safely on the seafloor with the pot traps. It uses acoustic sonar to transmit a signal to the fishing vessel when it’s ready to haul the gear. This signal triggers an acoustic release mechanism, which brings the rope and the traps to the surface.

The Ropeless Fisher system is comprised of three components: an acoustic release mechanism, a deck box for acoustic sonar, and bottom stowed rope and hard float buoys. The system was developed in 2012 and has been used in over 12,000 trap hauls with positive results. It operates at depths up to 300m and comes with a range of features including a virtual/acoustic gear marking package, custom release bag options/kits, and a ranging acoustic release with a lifetime use of 15-20 years.

Not only does the Ropeless Fisher technology reduce the possibility of wildlife entanglement, it also decreases the annual gear loss rate and protects against spawning and vandalism. Two options are available: Ropeless Fisher – Offshore and Ropeless Fisher – Coastal.

Image Credit: Desert Star Systems