The trawl nets are cone-shaped net (made from two, four or more panels) which are towed, by one or two boats, on the bottom or in midwater (pelagic). The cone-shaped body ends in a bag or coded. The horizontal opening of the gear while it is towed is maintained by beams, otter boards or by the distance between the two towing vessels (pair trawling). Floats and weights and/or hydrodynamic devices provide for the vertical opening. Two parallel trawls might be rigged between two otter boards (twin trawls). The mesh size in the codend or special designed devices is used to regulate the size and species to be captured.
Trawlnets is a generic fishing method. It can mean: beam trawl, demersal otter trawl, mid-water otter trawl, pelagic pair trawl, otter twin trawl or electric pulse fishing.