dragger

Dragger is a noun with several related senses. In general English, it denotes something or someone that drags. In nautical and fisheries contexts, a dragger is a fishing vessel that pulls a trawl net through the water to catch fish. Bottom draggers, often called otter trawlers, tow a trawl gear along the seabed, while beam trawlers use a rigid bar to spread the net. Draggers range from small coastal boats to large industrial ships and are used worldwide, especially for demersal species such as cod and haddock. The method is energy-intensive and has been the subject of environmental concerns, including seabed disturbance, bycatch, and fuel use; regulations in many regions govern quotas, gear restrictions, and protected areas.

In everyday usage, dragger simply means a thing or person that drags. The term is sometimes encountered in informal language to describe someone involved in drag racing, though “drag racer” is the standard term. Outside of fishing and sport, dragger can also refer to equipment or devices designed to move or pull loads, depending on the context.

Etymology: dragger derives from drag, meaning to pull along. See also trawler for related fishing vessels that use towed nets.