Marport – The Most Advanced Multi-Function Sensor Technology for Trawl
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Door Sensors
Marport’s MFX Door Sensors measure the distance between the trawl doors, as well as pitch angle, roll angle, depth of each door and water temperature. The Master communicates with the Slave by using a transversal wireless acoustic frequency of 110 kHz or 144 kHz. Data is transmitted to the vessel using a state-of-the-art, wireless uplink broadband transducer.
The MFX Door Sensors are suitable for all types of fishing where monitoring trawl door and gear behaviour is essential
Multifunction “Small Frame”
MFX Door Spread Sensor
The new Marport multifunction “small frame“ XL-DD trawl door sensor offers spread distance, pitch & frameroll angle, depth and temperature capabilities identical to large size sensors, but specifically designed for small semi-pelagic and small off-the-bottom trawl doors where size and hydro dynamics prevents or makes more difficult the installation of large size sensors.
MFX “small frame“ Door Sensors are available with transversal wireless acoustic frequency of 144 kHz or 110 kHz and also with 30.8 kHz for special applications used in gear and fisheries research. Data is transmitted to the vessel using a state-of-the-art, wireless uplink broadband transducer.
The MFX Door Sensors are suitable for all types of fishing where monitoring trawl door and gear behaviour is essential.
• Helps to properly align doors, keeping the trawl hydrodynamic while reducing fuel consumption and towing duration.
• Indicates if doors have crossed over, collapsed, or if the net is skewed or dragging the bottom.
• Prevents damage to the trawl by ensuring that the doors are positioned properly.
• Updates rates as often as 3 seconds.
• Typical battery life of 90 hours*. Based on standard charging time of 8 to 12 hours**.
MFX Small Frame Door Sensor
MFX Door (Spread) Sensor
Marport’s MFX Door Sensors measure the distance between the trawl doors, as well as pitch angle, roll angle, depth of each door and water temperature. The Master communicates with the Slave by using a transversal wireless acoustic frequency of 110 kHz or 144 kHz. Data is transmitted to the vessel using a state-of-the-art, wireless uplink broadband transducer. The MFX Door Sensors are suitable for all types of fishing where monitoring trawl door and gear behavior is essential.
• Helps to properly align doors, keeping the trawl hydrodynamic while reducing fuel consumption and towing duration.
• Indicates if doors have crossed over, collapsed, or if the net is skewed or dragging the bottom.
• Prevents damage to the trawl by ensuring that the doors are positioned properly.
MFX Door (Spread) Sensor
Compact Trawl Explorer
Marport’s Compact Trawl Explorer presents an accurate echogram of the net opening and fish targets, along with providing information about depth, temperature, distance to the bottom and clearance to the seabed. This sounder confirms the fish are swimming into the cod-end, and helps estimate the fish volume.
The Compact Trawl Explorer is a multifunctional, single-frequency downsounder installed either on top of the net (head rope) or in the belly of the trawl. Digital depth, temperature and height indication are standard options included.
• New heavy duty design ensures sustainable fishing in severe trawl conditions.
• New board design carries the unit smoothly through the water, ensuring optimum, consistent sounder angles.
Compact Trawl Explorer
Mini Trawl Explorer
Marport’s Mini-Trawl Explorer is specifically designed for small trawls and tunnel sounder applications providing an accurate echogram of the net opening and fish targets, along with information about depth, temperature, distance to the bottom and clearance to the seabed.
Mini-Trawl Explorer is designed for headline (headrope) or Tunnel installation, in small or light-weight trawls, to assist in confirming that fish are moving towards the cod-end, and helps estimate the fish volume. This net sounder is a multifunction, single-frequency down sounder including Digital Depth, Temperature and Height indications as standard included features.
• New small frame mini-sounder ensures sustainable fishing in severe trawl conditions with the same options and features of large units.
• Stabilization board design carries the unit smoothly through the water, ensuring optimum, consistent sounder angles including when position in the tunnel of the trawl.
• Offered in high-resolution Narrow Band with fast updates.
• Update rates as often as every 3 to 8 seconds.
• Typical battery life of up to 60 hours* and available in standard charge configuration (8 to 12 hours**) or Fast Charge for a full charge in 3.5 hours.
Mini Trawl Explorer
Catch Sensors
Marport’s Catch Sensors can operate on a single frequency of 40 kHz or 70 kHz, or on a unique dual frequency (40 kHz/70 kHz). Marport Catch Sensors may be positioned at different points along cod-end. Information received via the pull-cords.
This hybrid configuration greatly increases signal detection and enables a continuous information link to the trawl. The Hybrid Catch Sensor configuration can provide 3rd wire vessels with a wireless uplink directly to the vessel on 40 kHz and a direct wireless link to the 3rd wire deployment package sonar on 70 kHz. Having a 40 kHz back-up increases the probability of signal detection, especially on larger pelagic trawls that may have limited transmission range on 70 kHz.cords on the individual sensors may be used to provide information about the filling rate of the trawl and indicate when cod-end is full.
Pull-cords are easily configured for side-pull or end-pull trigger configuration. Optional features, such as pitch and roll, can also monitor net dynamics and indicate if the cod-end has collapsed or become twisted.
• Indicates when the trawl should be hauled, ensuring a better quality catch.
• Prevents towing a twisted, tangled or full trawl, thus increasing efficiency.
• Fully programmable and compatible with all industry standards.
• Updates as often as every 20 seconds.
Catch Sensors
Bottom Contact Sensor
The Bottom Contact Sensor monitors if the trawl is on or off the bottom and enables the trawl to be trimmed for proper balance. This sensor is recommended for bottom trawling. It can also be used to prove compliance in fisheries where bottom trawling is prohibited.
Very sensitive to the angle of tile. When the trawl hits the bottom, the sensor will be in a horizontal position, when the trawl lifts off the bottom, the sensor will hang in a vertical position and thus the bottom contact sensor will indicate that the trawl is not on the bottom.
Records and saves information in the on board Marport CommandView software and on an optional 4 GB memory card for later playback and review. This feature is not only valuable for commercial fisheries but is also an asset to the scientific research.
• The sensor immediately informs the operator that the trawl has lifted or is about to lift, so the trawl can be trimmed for proper balance.
• Informs the operator as soon as the net reaches the ocean Pelagic trawling, Purse Seining and Danish Seining.
• Provides updates every 3 seconds, to ensure the operator is aware of any problems as soon as they happen, and can act quickly to correct them, ensuring optimal efficiency. Can be used to prove compliance in fisheries where bottom trawling is prohibited
Bottom Contact Sensor
Tunnel Sounder
Marport’s Tunnel Sounder, with standard depth and temp options, confirms that fish are swimming into the cod-end and not escaping through distorted or torn side panels. The Tunnel Sounder also has a unique, backwards-looking transducer which provides an echogram of the fish swimming past the Tunnel Sounder all the way into the cod-end. Digital depth, Temperature and Height indications are standard options included.
• Presents an accurate picture of the amount of catch swimming towards the cod-end.
• Offered in Standard echo sounder configuration or a Narrow Band, high resolution fast update option.
• Immediately informs the operator if catch are escaping through tears or distortions in the trawl.
Tunnel Sounder
Rip Sensor
Marport’s Rip Sensor is mounted on the belly of the trawl and will detect any rips or tears in the net, thus eliminating the problem of fish escaping by notifying the operator of potentially costly damage. Operating at a frequency of 40kHz, Marport’s Rip Sensor has optional features such as pitch and roll, and depth and temp. Marport Rip Sensor
• Immediately informs the operator of potential rips in the net, therefore minimizing the risk of damage to the trawl.
• Under normal operation, this sensor provides updates every 20 to 30 seconds.
• Can operate in depths up to 1200 metres.
Rip Sensor
SeineFish NetSounder
Marport’s SeineFish NetSounder provides information about water depth from the surface, distance from the footrope to SEINEFISH NET SOUNDERthe seabed,Water temperature and a true echogram of fish swimming into the seine.
• Dual sounding frequencies for fish detection (seine) and bottom detection (distance).
• Overall cost savings due to less sensors being required to carry out other functions.
• Update rates as often as every 2 to 5 seconds.
SeineFish NetSounder
Temp/Depth Sensors
Marport’s Depth Sensor monitors trawl depth, descent/ascent rate of the net, and the rate of depth changes. All indications of depth are relative to the surface. The Temperature Sensor measures the temperature of the water surrounding the trawl to determine if conditions are favourable for targeted fish species. Marport’s Depth/Temperature Sensor combines the individual features of the Depth and Temperature Sensors. Using this data, the operator can quickly determine a location of preferred temperature and depth for a particular fishing operation.
• The Temperature Sensor helps eliminate wasted time and fuel spent towing in water that is not suited to the target species.
• The Depth Sensor increases efficiency by placing the trawl at the specific desired depth.
Temp/Depth Sensors
Hydrophone & Accessories
Marport’s NHT Hydrophone detects signals from the trawl sensors. For full coverage in all weather conditions, it is recommended that two hydrophones are used, one to starboard and one to port. The hydrophone can be hull mounted and is available for towed version with paravane. Marport’s hull mounted hydrophone is used for trawl and seine applications. The dimensions and shape of Marport hydrophones make them direct replacements for standard marine industry units. Marport offers a wide range of hydrophone types and configurations with passive and active hydrophone options to fit most fishery requirements.
Marport’s Paravane allows for the use of Marport’s NHT hydrophone without mounting on the bottom of the hull. Normally for smaller boats, the paravane holds the hydrophone behind the boat below the wake to allow communications with the rest of the sensors.
Hydrophone & Accessories
Interfaces Broardband Hydrophone Pre-Amp
30-60 kHz pre-amplifier and broadband interface module for multiple hydrophones with power module 110/220 Vac. This set comes complete with accessories and mounting hardware, including:
• Power Adapter
• Complete Connector Set