Gull Wing

We believe in giving credit where credit is due.

Last Spring, Nor’ East Trawl System’s Takeo Inoue contacted us about testing their ‘Gull Wing’ modified pelagic/bottom trawl door that promised many advantages over our existing doors.  More spread, less weight and and we believe lower impact on the seafloor.

We tested the doors in the Gulf of Alaska starting in July and then again in the Bering Sea in August. Takeo then arranged for the FFI team to visit the Nichimo (parent company of NETS) Tank Test Facility in Shinomoseki Japan last November. Over three days we tested the doors in a controlled setting changing many variables. It was very interesting to see  all that these revolutionary doors can do.

See the Ship’s Blog entry for more on this visit to Japan. Nichimo Tank Test

And then today, I came across the advertisement below for the NETS ‘Gull Wing’ door from the April National Fishermen Magazine.

The ad reminded me of all the people at Nichimo and NETS that took such good care of us on the trip to Japan and continue to with fish trading and fishing gear.  Our hearts go out to our colleagues and their families/friends in Japan in the wake of the Earthquake and Tsunami.

Finally, a special thank you to Takeo for bringing the Gull Wings to our fleet – In addition to the US Intrepid, the American No.1 will start fishing with these doors this next trip.

Fishermen’s Finest ~ a team of excellence ~ our name says it all…