A leading supplier of specialised wire mesh products for fishing and aquaculture reinforce their innovative products for marine applications.
With consumers increasing demand for seafood driving the growth of the aquaculture market, the sector is looking for improved and technological advances to enhance the efficiency and productivity in both fresh and saltwater environments.
Corrosion is obviously a major issue in marine environments and although there are many innovations addressing this, the use of Aquamesh®, a specialised wire mesh, is a highly effective solution for many applications.
Aquamesh® is manufactured from high-grade premium steel that is hot dip galvanised after welding with a thick layer of zinc that surrounds the weld to prevent the steel from corroding. The wire is then covered with a marine grade PVC produced by American manufacturer Riverdale Mills Corporation. The coating is fuse-bonded to the wire, forming a protective layer that helps to resist algae growth and biofouling, and prevents corrosion.
Roger Gillam, the owner of GT Products who are the UK distributors of Aquamesh® have been supplying the Fishing industry with a wide range of products since 1990. Gillam uses Aquamesh® to build creels, floating shellfish culture cages, and for storage and handling solutions and he has seen firsthand how the durable wire mesh withstands some of the roughest seas and harshest weather conditions encountered.
“The cages hold up very well, with some cages in the water for close to a decade. Customers spend less time repairing and a lot more time fishing”. That equates to money saved and reduced plastic waste and energy consumption. As a raw material in roll or panels, Aquamesh can be easily fabricated by customers on their own premises, saving substantially on labour and transport costs.”
According to Riverdale Mills CEO James Knott, the PVC coating on the Aquamesh wire is made at the company’s USA manufacturing facility and is phthalate free. “Our company has never used banned phthalates, including those listed on Europe’s REACH regulations, on any of the company’s coatings”.
Ongoing advancements in the aquaculture industry, the use of new technologies and innovative fishing efforts, and the consumers increasing demand for the intake of protein will further drive the growth of the aquaculture industry for the future.