ROPELESS FISHING SYSTEM AND METHOD

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for ropeless fishing. The ropeless fishing system includes a surface subsystem installed on a vessel and at least one submerged subsystem submerged in a body of water. The surface subsystem includes acoustic transceiver and acoustic transducer units, which are configured to generate and omnidirectionally transmit an acoustic interrogation signal into the body of water surrounding the vessel and to directionally receive acoustic reply signals. The submerged subsystems include a compressed gas source and an enclosed flotation bag in fluid communication and an underwater acoustic actuator-transponder unit configured to receive the acoustic interrogation signal transmitted by the surface subsystem and to transmit an acoustic reply signal into the body of water. In addition, the submerged subsystem is further configured to control the flow of gas between the compressed gas source and the enclosed floatation bag to facilitate recovery of the submerged subsystem.