The Dutch fishing industry is having a hard time at the moment: Rising fuel prices, stricter EU regulations. Worldwide developments are taking place that are affecting fishermen. Pulse fishing is now a thing of the past and many fishing boats have been lying motionless at the quay for months.
In addition to these challenges, Dirk Kraak of Oosterland Fischerei is actively involved in nature. As a lover of the sea, he is therefore very concerned with new technologies in order to fish as sustainably and environmentally friendly as possible.
Fouling on the hull causes an increase in fuel consumption. In addition, the current standard solution is one which 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 a reference point to assess the effectiveness of the solution.
The result is immediately visible 2 years later when the vessel is in dry dock: the nozzle is heavily fouled, the stern is not. To stay in the words of Mr. Kraak: “A nice positive development!.” Except for a few barnacles, the stern is completely free of fouling. The current configuration provides sufficient sound intensity on that part of the hull, the nozzle is not protected. This falls outside the range of the ultrasonic sound.
The stern was protected by two transducers. By placing a few additional transducers, full coverage of the underwater hull can be ensured. In this way, the growth in the future will be one less problem for this fisherman from Den Helder.
