Trawl fishing

Trawl fishing involves pulling a large conical net (trawl) through the water, either along the ocean floor (bottom trawling) or in the open water column (midwater trawling). The net is usually shaped like a funnel, with the opening held open by floats or weights, and it captures a variety of fish and marine life as the vessel moves forward. This method can be efficient for catching large quantities of fish but may also impact marine habitats by disturbing the seabed or catching non-target species (bycatch). Trawl fishing is widely used commercially due to its high productivity.