NLWe sometimes refer to it in our newsletter as: red mul, plaice, or whiting caught by flyshooters.
Flyshooting is a traditional fishing technique that originated in Denmark and Iceland. It is one of the most sustainable ways of fishing and yields beautifully striking fish—an advantage that chefs naturally appreciate.
Advantages of Flyshooting
Other advantages include low fuel consumption, minimal to no disturbance of the seabed, no undersized fish and no unwanted bycatch—only large, strong fish of excellent quality are caught. Additionally, the fishermen take great care in sorting and handling the fish on board. This also positively affects the shelf life of the fish.
Explanation of the Flyshooting Method
A flyshooter fishes behind the boat using lines (signal ropes) attached to a net. During fishing, the signal ropes, along with the net, are pulled toward the boat. As the signal ropes roll along the seabed, they create light clouds of dust that startle the fish and cause them to continue swimming in front of the ropes. The strong, large fish remain ahead of the signal ropes and are driven toward the net opening as the boat approaches, while the small, undersized fish escape. Fishing with lines at low speeds results in low energy consumption.
Flyshoot fishing is only effective in sufficient daylight, when the fish can detect the signal ropes. In the summer, the days are long for the fishermen, while in winter the days are shorter. It works best in flat, sandy sea areas without obstacles—such as certain parts of the North Sea and in the Channel.
Video: Flyshooting with Zeevisbedrijf van Seters
