Gulf of Maine, Explained: Trawling

While many of us enjoy fresh local seafood, we don’t often get to see how that fish is harvested. Trawling is one of the most common fishing methods here in the Gulf of Maine. But how many people have seen these fishing vessels in action? This lack of familiarity inspires a lot of questions.

Here to answer some of these questions is Dr. Steve Eayrs, whose research focuses on reducing environmental impacts of trawling, while also helping fishermen continue to earn a living on the water within the confines of a heavily regulated industry.

In this video, Steve will show you what trawling looks like in our local waters. He’ll also explain some common misconceptions about trawling and discuss a bit of the research he’s engaged in.

We hope you enjoy a closer look at trawling in the Gulf of Maine. This fishing method — one of many in our region — has a lot of cultural and economic importance here in New England.