By seeing fishing gear in action, Irish fishers explored practical ways to optimize performance and spark innovation.

How do you inspire fishers to rethink fishing gear and explore new opportunities for efficiency?

That was one of the goals when Ireland's Seafood Development Agency, BIM, recently brought a group of fishermen to Flume Tank North Sea for an intensive two-and-a-half-day visit.

For the fishermen, it was their first time seeing fishing gear demonstrated in a flume tank, allowing them to observe firsthand how different adjustments affect performance in real time.

With 15–17 different trawl configurations on display, the visit opened discussions about how changes to nets, doors, rigging, and other components can improve overall gear performance.

"Seeing the gear helps fishers visualize their work. We wanted to create enthusiasm and curiosity – to make them hungry to learn more and explore new solutions," said Matthew McHugh from BIM.

While conversations around fishing gear have traditionally focused heavily on selectivity, today's challenges place increasing emphasis on energy efficiency.

Optimizing fishing gear means understanding the whole picture, where multiple elements work together to improve performance.

Matthew McHugh and his two colleagues from BIM are fishing gear technologists who have made several visits to the flume tank over the years.

“I've visited the flume tank five or six times, and I just love it. Seeing how small adjustments can influence gear performance is incredibly valuable and always sparks new ideas,” Matthew McHugh said.

The visit also included valuable input from Ph.D. student Nurul Huda and Professor Ludvig Ahm Krag from DTU Aqua, who shared insights from their research on fishing gear technology, while Norwegian company Selstad, represented by Jón Thorvardarson and Haakon Vederhus, spent one morning showcasing different gear solutions for the fishermen.