Mexican scientists develop hi-tech trawl gate for shrimp fishing

A group of researchers from different fields have developed a trawl gate for shrimp fishing, which uses state-of-the-art technology to make the massive capture of shrimp more efficient.

The gate is made up of two mechanical wings and an expanding arm, which allows to adjust the opening angle. Furthermore, the force of the fluid helps with the displacement of the system generating a better hydrodynamic performance , informed the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT), through its information agency .

Josue Enriquez Zarate, mechanical design engineering specialist from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)

, explained that this technological development could be of great help to Mexican fishermen , especially those of Salina Cruz, Oaxaca .

He explained that it is essential that local fishermen have technology that allows them to save energy and protect microecosystems , as they deteriorate by the current towing activities in fishing.

The model for the gate was designed by the staff of Technologies for Capture of the Regional Fisheries Research Center , led by master Saul Sarmiento Nafate .

With the support of the National Institute of Fishing and Aquaculture , the multidisciplinary team carried out a computational simulation that allows to monitor the interaction of water with the gate at sea.

The innovation yielded positive results regarding software evaluation at the simulation level. The next stage will consist of the construction of gates on a real scale, since there is already a prototype model for testing at sea.

Mexico is the 7th largest shrimp producer in the world

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