Acronyms, jargon, TLAs and a guide to terminology used in fisheries management, sustainability, sourcing and responsible sourcing.
The full list is available here.
Anchor seining – Seine net fishing with the vessel at anchor to haul the gear.
Astern – Vessel going backwards.
Bottom trawl – Trawl towed along the seabed.
Bycatch – Anything caught that is not of the target species or target size.
Cast nets – A net that’s is thrown (cast) across the surface of the water to catch fish as it sinks down.
CSW – Chilled sea water.
Drift net – A net (usually a gill net) that is allowed to drift with the tide to catch fish by them un-intentionally swimming into it.
Dublin Bay prawns – Also known as Nephrop, Langoustines.
Echo sounder – An electronic instrument that uses sound waves to measure the water depth below the vessel and can also be used to detect shoals of fish.
Encircling gear – Fishing gear that forms a circle with nets or ropes to catch fish enclosed by the circle.
FAD – Fish aggregation device.
Fyke net – A conical shaped net with an non-return entrance at one end.
Gill net – A sheet of thin netting hung vertically in the water to capture fish by enmeshing them usually by their gills.
GPS plotters – Screens that accurately display the vessels position overlaid on a chart using information from the Global Positioning System.
H
Headline – The upper frame of a net (headrope).
Hopper – Large “box” on the deck of a boat for receiving the catch into.
Jig – An artificial lure used to attract and catch fish.
Jigging machine – A mechanical device that operates a jig.
King scallop – The larger of the commonly caught scallops, usually targeted by dredges or hand-picked by diving.
Langoustines – Another name for Dublin Bay prawns or Nephrop.
Lead line – Term for the lower frame rope of a net, usually refers to purse nets.
Mesh – One of the enclosed spaces bounded by twine in a piece of netting.
Multi rig trawling – Towing more than one net behind one vessel.
Net drum – Large capacity winch for hauling nets.
Net stacking system – Combination of powered rollers and chutes for stowing the net on large purse seiners.
Open gear – A type of beam trawl without a chain mat.
Outrigger boom – Booms on either side of a beam trawler to tow the nets from.
Pair seine – A net that is towed between two vessel using long lengths of rope or wire on the seabed.
Pelagic trawl – Trawl that is towed somewhere between the seabed and surface but not touching the seabed.
Queen scallop – The smaller of the commonly caught scallops, targeted using small trawls, and dredges.
R.S.W. – Refrigerated seawater tanks.
Recreational angling – Angling for recreation rather than profit.
Rubber discs – Discs, cut from old vehicle tyres, used for making ground gear of nets.
Sand clouds – Seabed disturbances created by trawl doors, sweeps, ground gear, etc. forming clouds of sand in the water.
Sweeps – Wires connecting trawl doors to the net (bridles).
T 45 – diamond mesh turned through 45 degrees to make it into an open in a square shape.
Trawl rig – Term used to cover all the components in a trawl net rig. Doors, sweeps, bridles and net etc.
Vivier tanks – Tanks onboard shellfish boats for live storage of the catch.
Warp – Wire used for towing fishing gear.
Wing ends – Ends of the net nearest to the boat.