Patent ID: 7685762

Claim:
A device for reducing the catch of unwanted species for being placed in trawl nets comprising: a) a first cylinder having an open upstream end, an open downstream end, a first length defined between said upstream and downstream ends thereof, and a first diameter; b) a second cylinder having an open upstream end, an open downstream end, a second length defined between said upstream and downstream ends thereof, and a second diameter, c) said first diameter being less than said second diameter, and said first length being longer than said second length; d) said cylinders being connected to each other such that said cylinders are concentric with said first cylinder being positioned at least partially within said second cylinder so as to at least partially overlap and define an escape opening between said first and second cylinders, said cylinders being connected to each other by attachments extending radially between said cylinders, said attachments being spaced from each other and arranged around said outer circumference of said first cylinder, first ends of said attachments being attached to said outer circumference of said first cylinder at said downstream end of said first cylinder and second ends of said attachments being attached to an inner circumference of said second diameter; and e) flow blocking plates, said flow blocking plates each having a first end, a second end, a width, and a length defined between said first and second ends, said flow blocking plates connected to said first cylinder by said first, ends of said flow blocking plates being attached to said outer circumference of said first cylinder at said upstream end of said first cylinder, said flow blocking plates being spaced from each other and arranged around said outer circumference of said first cylinder, said second ends being spaced from said outer circumference of said first cylinder and located between said first ends of said flow blocking plates and said downstream end of said first cylinder, each of said flow blocking plates extending at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of said first cylinder.