The Dutch fishing industry is facing difficult times at the moment. Rising fuel prices, stricter regulations from the EU. There are global developments that are affecting fishermen. Pulse fishing is now a thing of the past and many fishing vessels have been lying motionless at the quay for months.
Dirk Kraak from Oosterland Fischerei is actively engaged with nature alongside these challenges. As a great lover of the sea, he therefore focuses extensively on new technologies to fish as sustainably and environmentally friendly as possible.
Fouling on the hull causes an increase in fuel consumption. Furthermore, the current standard solution has a negative impact on the environment: toxic antifouling coating. In August 2020, the fisherman decided to equip the stern of the BRA7 JADE with an Ultrasonic Antifouling system as a test. The rest of the vessel would serve as comparison material to assess the effectiveness of the solution.
The result is directly visible 2 years later when the vessel is in dry dock: the jet tube is heavily fouled, the stern is not. To remain in the words of Mr. Kraak: “A beautiful positive development!” Apart from a few barnacles, the stern is completely free of fouling. The current configuration provides sufficient sound intensity on that part of the hull, the jet tube is not protected. This falls outside the range of the ultrasonic sound.
The stern was protected by two transducers. By installing several additional transducers, complete coverage of the underwater hull can be ensured. Then fouling will at least be one less concern for this fisherman from Den Helder in the future.
