Before you choose: five inputs
Five answers decide almost everything else, including mesh size and twine. Settle them first.
- Target species & size What you actually want to land, and the size range you must retain or release.
- Fishing method Towed, encircling, gilling or set — the method sets the net structure.
- Operating depth Surface, mid-water or bottom contact changes both the load and the durability needed.
- Seabed & environment Rock, sand, mud, current and wave exposure drive abrasion and snagging requirements.
- Vessel & handling Deck space, winches and crew practice decide the size and weight that is practical.
Trawl nets
Trawl nets are towed gear. The net is designed around the mouth, the towing speed and the catch, then built from the netting, ropes and hardware that suit the working conditions.
Bottom or midwater
- Bottom trawl — the gear works close to the seabed, so abrasion resistance and ground contact shape much of the specification.
- Midwater trawl — the target is fished above the bottom, and the net is built around towing speed rather than ground contact.
What helps us specify a trawl
- Target species, and the catch size you need to hold.
- Net opening and overall length, with how they were measured.
- Mesh size by section, and the twine number and material.
- Towing speed, bottom conditions, and the hardware you already use.
Trawl gear we have built
Purse seine nets
A purse seine encircles a school and closes the bottom with a purse line. Selection depends on school behaviour, the waters you work and the equipment already on board.
The parts that decide performance
- Floatline and leadline — set the working depth and how the net hangs in the water.
- Rings and purse line — the closing action, and the load it puts on the lower panel.
- Upper panel — often built lighter so the net sinks predictably while the floatline still supports the working load.
Purse seines we make
Gillnets & general netting
Gillnets are size-selective: the fish is held by the mesh rather than swept into a bag, so mesh and twine do most of the work and the hang of the panel decides how the net fishes.
Where general netting is used
- Fisheries — gillnets, and panels cut and joined for a specific gear.
- Aquaculture — cage and bag netting, with the frame and load in mind.
- Agriculture, poultry and sports — barrier and enclosure netting, where mesh and UV life matter more than catch behaviour.
Panels can be cut, joined, roped and fitted to your drawing, or supplied as netting for your own assembly. The choice follows the job the panel has to do, not the roll it comes from.
Gillnets and netting we make
Materials & general principles
Four material families cover most requests. The right one follows from the working environment, not from price alone.
| Material | What it is chosen for | Typical use in gear |
|---|---|---|
| HDPE / PE | Knot strength that locks the knot and holds mesh shape, with UV stabilisation. | Trawl and seine netting, deep-sea cages, general panels |
| PP | Light weight and low water absorption. | Upper panels and floating lines of seines, lightweight barriers |
| Nylon (PA6 / PA66) | More strength and elasticity for the same twine than PE. | Nets where strength and give both matter |
| Polyester (PET) | Low elongation, so dimensions stay put under load. | Ropes, and netting where stretch must stay low |
Material detail on this site: HDPE / polyethylene netting · polypropylene netting · nylon net
Selection notes, before you send a spec
Most of the back-and-forth before production comes from five points. Stating them in the enquiry removes it.
- Mesh measurement basis — say whether the mesh is stretched bar length or knot-to-knot. The two are not interchangeable, and the number alone is ambiguous.
- Twine — the number and ply, plus the material, since the same number behaves differently across polymers.
- Length and depth — state how each was measured, and whether the net was measured under tension.
- Mesh count versus metres — a mesh count does not convert to a fixed number of metres in every stretched state.
- Destination regulations — local fisheries rules and catch restrictions still apply, and the specification has to satisfy them.
Send your specification
Send what you already have — a drawing, a photo of your current net, or the parameters below. Factory technicians review the specification and come back with the design and the quotation.
- Product type
- Target species
- Fishing method
- Depth or environment
- Material
- Mesh size, and how it was measured
- Twine number and ply
- Length and depth
- Quantity
- Destination country
- Notes or drawing
Selection questions
How should mesh size be stated in a specification?
State the basis: stretched bar length or knot-to-knot. The two are not interchangeable, so a bare number can be read two ways and produce two different nets.
Can a mesh count be converted into metres?
Not directly. A mesh count does not convert to a fixed number of metres in every stretched state, so the finished dimension is confirmed against the mesh and the way the panel is hung.
What decides between trawl, purse seine and gillnet?
The fishing method and the target. Trawl nets are towed, purse seines encircle a school and close the bottom, and gillnets hold fish by the mesh. Depth, seabed and vessel handling then decide the details within that family.
Who checks my specification before production?
Factory technicians. They review the specification or design the net, and the customer confirms the solution and the quotation before production is scheduled.
Tell us what you fish for
Send your species, method, depth and the mesh you have in mind — or just a photo of the net you use now. Our technicians will come back with a specification and a quotation.
