This paper is devoted to the simulation of the flow around and inside a rigid axisymmetric net. We describe first how experimental data have been obtained. We show in detail the modelization. The model is based on a Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes turbulence model penalized by a term based on the Brinkman law. At the out-boundary of the computational box, we have used a "ghost" boundary condition. We show that the corresponding variational problem has a solution. Then the numerical scheme is given and the paper finishes with numerical simulations compared with the experimental data. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.