Every trap fisherman has had traps disappear without a trace even in good weather. The fouling by boat propellers, whale migration and theft are often reasons for their disappearance……
Catch more by losing less!
Every trap fisherman has also pulled particular traps on good spots for weeks and caught nothing suspecting the foul play of unscrupulous commercial and amateur fishermen or divers who reap a rich harvest with no gear outlay.
With the decrease in the fish and lobster population, the resultant high market prices and the increase in gear costs, the trap fisherman is an easy target for exploitation – and your market float shows the world where the prize is located.
Efficiency
The use of GTR’s for holding the trap marker float below the ocean’s surface allows trapping to take place in shipping lanes, popular fishing reefs or in estuary waters without the concern of causing accidents when traps are fouled by high speed craft.
The locations of the really good accessible reefs are now common knowledge to great numbers of small boat fisherman. At prime line-fishing times of the day (early mornings and dusk) these locations are covered with boats making it impossible to trap the area without incurring the wrath of many people and certain loss of gear. The use of GTR technology provides a solution. Using 24-hour GTR’s, for example, these reefs can now be trapped successfully by pulling and baiting at midday or early afternoon when boat traffic is at its lowest.
A fisherman can now take a long weekend or up to a 2 week holiday with the knowledge that his traps are safe – and still fishing!
Conservation
Trapping activity targets three main extremely valuable species; Snapper, Rock Lobster and Mud Crab. All are limited and declining resources.
If you lose a trap for any reason – marker cut off by a ship’s propeller, bad weather or passing whales – your trap continues to “Ghost fish” for months; killing and leaving to rot many fish and lobsters. The fitting of an escape panel held in place by a GTR will release this valuable resource to be caught another time.
