Fishing Gears

Fishing gears and methods
Methods to catch fish and other aquatic resources, with or without a gear, have always
been practiced. Although the fundamental principles, i.e. filtering the water, luring and
outwitting the prey and hunting, are the basis for most of the fishing gears and methods
used even today, gears and methods have changed significantly over time and their
capture efficiency is obviously hardly comparable to that of prehistoric times.
A fishing gear is the tool with which aquatic resources are captured, whereas the fishing
method is how the gear is used. Gear also includes harvesting organisms when no
particular gear (tool) is involved. Furthermore, the same fishing gear can be used in
different ways. A common way to classify fishing gears and methods is based on the
principles of how the fish or other prey are captured and, to a lesser extent, on the gear
construction.
FAO defines and classifies the main categories of fishing gear as follows:
1. Surrounding nets (including purse seines)

2. Seine nets (including beach seines and Boat, Scottish/Danish seines)
3. Trawl nets (including Bottom: Beam, Otter and Pair trawls, and Midwater trawls:
Otter and Pair trawls)
4. Dredges
5. Lift nets
6. Falling gears (including cast nets)
7. Gillnets and entangling nets (including set and drifting gillnets; trammel nets)
8. Traps (including pots, stow or bag nets, fixed traps)
9. Hooks and lines (including handlines, pole and lines, set or drifting longlines,
trolling lines)
10. Grappling and wounding gears (including harpoons, spears, arrows, etc.)
11. Stupefying devices
This classification is being slightly modified to accommodate the most recent

development of fishing gears and methods and will soon be published.
Fishing methods have continuously evolved throughout recorded history. Fishers are
inventive and not afraid of trying new ideas. The opportunities for innovation have been
especially good in recent decades with advances in fibre technology, mechanization of
gear handling, improved performances of vessels and motorization, computer processing
for gear design, navigation aids, fish detection to mention only a few technologies.
Whereas technological development of fishing gear and methods in the past was aimed to
increase production, the present situation with many overfished stock, limited
possibilities to expand fishing on underexploited resources and concerns about the
environmental impact of fishing operation, gear development is now very much focussed
on selective fishing and gears with less impact on the environment.
Prepared by Wilfred Thiele and Joel Prado

Fishery Technology Service
reference sources
Definition and Classification of Fishing Gear Categories (multi-lingual) FAO Fish Tech.
222 Rev.1
FAO catalogue of fishing gear design (multi-lingual) Fishing News Books Ltd; UK
FAO catalogue of small scale fishing gear; 2nd edition (multi-lingual) Fishing News
Books Ltd; UK
Fish Catching Methods of the World (Third edition; 1984) Fishing News Books Ltd; UK
Calculations for Fishing Gear Design FAO Fishing Manuals; published by Fishing
News Books Ltd; UK
Deploying a purse seine

FAO/21374/T.Dioses
Pulling in fishing nets

FAO/17099/M.Marzot
Pole and line gear
FAO/Andrey Urcelayeta
F
Aerial traps [FAR] updated : 10-mai-2001

ISSCFG Classification :
> Category : Traps
> Type : Aerial traps
Profile
General Description: Jumping fish and gliding fish can be caught on the surface in
boxes, rafts, boats and nets ("verandah nets"). Sometimes the fish are frightened to get
them to jump out of the water.
Specific Handling Equipment: The setting and use of such gears is done by hand and do
not require specific equipment.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Usually used from small size open boats.
Fishing Operations: Fishermen have learned to use the jumping habit of fish to catch
them setting boxes, rafts, nets on the water surface or using boats. Sometimes the fish are
frightened to get them to jump out of the water.
Features
Target Species: Jumping fish (e.g.,mullets) and gliding fish (flying fish).
Areas: all
The Gear and its Environment:
Deployment Area: Aerial traps are generally operated incoastal
zones either in inland, inestuarine and sea waters. They are usually
set on the surface.
arriers, Fences, Weirs, Corrals,
updated : 10-mai-2001
etc. [FWR]
>Category : Traps
>Type : Barriers, Fences, Weirs,
Corrals, etc.
Profile
General Description: This is a group of gears made of various materials (stakes,
branches, reeds, netting, etc.), and they are usually installed in tidal waters. They
generally have a narrow slit leading to an enclosed catching chamber.
Specific Handling Equipment: No specific equipment is required.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Usually small size open boats.
Fishing Operations: These are a group of gear in which the fish enters voluntarily, but is
hampered from coming out. Fishermen visit traps regularly, at least during the fishing
season, collecting only the captures and leaving the gears set in the same place for several
days or months.
Features
Target Species: Coastal species and euryhaline species.
Areas: all over the world
Deployment Area: These gears are generally operated in coastal zones and
shallow waters where there are significant tidal differences, in estuaries and also
in inland waters. They are usually set from the bottom to the surface.
Impact on Aquatic Species: The potential negative impact produced by this type
of gears may come from too large catch of undersize and juvenile specimens, no
marketable specimens, non target species, etc. in certain seasons and/or areas.
Beach seines
[SB]
> Category : Seine nets
> Type : Beach seines
Profile
General Description: A beach seines is a seine net operated from the shore. The gear is
composed of a bunt (bag or lose netting) and long wings often lengthened with long ropes
for towing the seine to the beach. The headrope with floats is on the surface, the footrope
is in permanent contact with the bottom and the seine is therefore a barrier which prevent
the fish from escaping from the area enclosed by the net. Two basic types of gear can be
distinguished: seine nets without a bag (Fig. 1) and seine nets with a bag (Fig. 2). The first
one do have, however, a central part with smaller meshes and more slack, which retains
the fish caught. In the second one the fish are retained in the bag. It is not necessary for
the bag to be exactly in the centre and in this case the wings are not of equal length.
Specific Handling Equipment: No specific gear handling equipment is required for
fishing operations but a large number of people for towing the seine to the shore. In some
cases, wooden-made capstan can be fixed on the beach for facilitating the hauling of the
seine to the shore.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Beach seines are usually set from a boat (in general, a
small boat, in many cases, without engine).
Fishing Operations: When setting the first towing line is fastened ashore, then the line,
the first wing, the bag, second wing and second line is set out in a wide arc and brought
back to the beach. The bottom and surface act as natural barriers which prevent the fish
from escaping from the area enclosed by the net. The drag lines are towed simultaneously
from the beach. The fish is herded in front of the bag or bunt. For successful operations it
is suitable that the groundrope reached the beach first, to bring the gear underneath the
fish.
Features
Target Species: Demersal and pelagic species
Areas: all
Deployment Area: Beach seines are generally used near the shore in shallow
waters either in inland and sea waters.
Impact on Aquatic Species: Shallow waters close to the shore are often spawning
or nursery grounds. Beach seining in such areas disturb the breeding activities and
lead frequently to the capture of juveniles. For these reasons, the use of beach
seine is in a number of countries regulated/restricted by law.
Beam trawls
[TBB]
> Category : Trawl nets
> Type : Bottom trawls
> Subtype : Beam trawls
Profile
General Description: A beam trawl consists of a cone-shaped body ending in a bag or
codend, which retains the catch. In these trawls the horizontal opening of the net is
provided by a beam, made of wood or metal, which is up to 12 m long. The vertically
opening is provided by two hoop-liketrawl heads/shoes mostly made from steel. No
hydrodynamic forces are needed to keep a beam trawl open.
Technical Plan:
Specific Equipment: While fishing for flatfish the beam trawl is often equipped
withtickler chains to disturb the fish from the seabed. For operations on very rough fishing
grounds they can be equipped withchain matrices. Chain matrices are rigged between
thebeam and thegroundrope and prevent boulders/stones from being caught by the
trawl.Shrimp beam trawls are not so heavy and have smaller mesh sizes. Abobbin of
groundrope withrubber bobbins keeps the shrimp beam trawl in contact with the bottom
and gives flatfish the opportunity to escape.
Specific Handling Equipment: Beam trawl is normally towed onoutriggers, one trawl on
each side.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Beam trawlers are in most cases specialized medium
size vessels, equipped with powerful engines arranged with large outriggers tow two
parallel beam trawls.
Fishing Operations: Close bottom contact is necessary for successful operation. To avoid
bycatch of most juvenile fishesselectivity devices are assembled (sieve nets, sorting grids,
escape holes). While targeting flatfish the beam trawls are towed with up to seven knots,
therefore the gear is very heavy; the largest gears weight up to 10 tons. The towing speed
for shrimp is between 2,5 and 3 knots.
Features
Target Species: Beam trawls are used mainly forflatfish andshrimp fishing.
Areas: This technique is very successful used in many parts of the word for catching
shrimp andflatfish normally in shallower depth than 100 meters.
Deployment Area: Beam trawls are towed with very close bottom contact.
Impact on the Environment: Conclusions from some recent research on the
physical impact of beam trawls on the sea bed are: 1) the penetration depth of a
beam trawl depends on sediment characteristics and varies between 1 cm and 8
cm; 2) the pressure force exerted on the sea floor is strongly related to towing
speed and the warp length to depth ratio; 3) beam trawls leave detectable marks
on the seabed. The duration that the beam trawl marks remain visible depends
on the upper sediment layer and on the hydrographic conditions. On the seabed
consisting of medium to coarse sand, tracks have been observed to remain
visible for up to 6 days. On sediments with mainly finer particles a
corresponding figure of 37 hours was observed.
Impact on Aquatic Species: The major impact of beam trawl on species is
capture and removal from the ecosystem of small sized organisms (juveniles)
and non-target species, which frequently are discarded at sea. Sieve netting and
selection grids together with larger codend mesh sizes are used to mitigate this
problem, particularly in shrimp trawl fisheries. Square mesh panels are used
with some success to reduce capture of non targets species in flatfish fisheries.
Bottom otter
trawls [OTB]
>Category : Trawl nets
>Type : Bottom trawls
>Subtype : Bottom otter trawls
Profile
General Description: A bottom otter trawl is a cone-shaped net consisting of a body,
normally made from two, four and sometimes more panels, closed by one or twocodends
and with lateral wings extending forward from the opening. A bottom trawl is kept open
horizontally by twootter boards. A boat can be rigged to tow a single or two parallel trawls
from the stern or from two outriggers.Bottom trawls usually have an extended top panel
(square) to prevent fish from escaping upwards over the top of the net. The mouth of the
trawl is framed by an headline with floats to open the trawl vertically and a ground gear,
which is designed according to the bottom condition on the fishing ground so as to
maximise the capture of targets living close to the bottom and at the same time protect the
gear from damage and to facilitate movements across uneven bottom.
Specific Equipment: The horizontal opening of the net is obtained by two otter boards.
The vertical opening is obtained with floats and/or hydrodynamic devices (kites) on the
upper edge (floatline) and weights on the groundrope. Thegroundrope equipped with
rubber discs,bobbins,spacers etc. is used at the same time to shield lower leading margin
of the trawl from ground damage whilst maintaining ground contact. On very rough
bottoms specialrock hopper gears are used. The horizontal opening of the trawl is obtained
by two otter boards (in cases, forotter twin trawling, two identical trawls are towed side by
side, there will be in addition to a pair of otter boards, a sledge between the two nets).
There are many models of otter boards: they may be relatively heavy, made of wood,
aluminium and steel or a combination of these, rectangular or oval shaped and equipped
with a steel sole designed for good contact with the ground. Instruments to monitor gear
performance are common in modern bottom otter trawling. Such instruments monitor
geometry (door distance, vertical opening, bottom contact, trawl symmetry a.o), water
temperature in trawling depth, catch, trawl speed and characteristic with selective grid
devices like angle and speed of water flow through the device.
Specific Handling Equipment: The main handling equipment of a trawler is a powerful
winch with two bobbins (or two or more split winches each one consisting in one bobbin)
for storing, shooting and hauling the trawl warps. The trawlers operating otter trawls
havegallows,gantries orderricks to handle the heavy otter boards. The net hauling system
varies greatly depending on the size of the vessel and the type of the trawl used. A largenet
drum can be used for shooting, hauling and storing the trawl (including spare ones for
additional trawls)). Light wing trawls may be hauled in bypower blocks. Heavy bobbin
trawls may be lifted aboard withgilson winches orquarter ropes. Larger trawlers are
arranged with a horseshoe deck layout for handling the trawl.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Otter bottom trawls can be used by side trawlers (are
being phased out gradually), stern trawlers and outrigger trawlers. The range of the
vessels are from small open boats to large factory trawlers.
Fishing Operations: The trawl is designed and rigged to have bottom contact during
fishing and is, depending on the bottom substrate equipped with different kinds of
groundrope with the purpose of shielding lower leading margin of the trawl from ground
damage whilst maintaining ground contact and easy move on the bottom. In general the
trawler tow a single trawl. However, recent development is towards multitrawl rigging
where up to four parallel trawls are towed from the same boat. Twin trawls can be towed
from the stern of the vessel or from outriggers. The latter technology is widespread in
tropical shrimp fisheries where is called quadtrawling.
Features
Target Species: Bottom and demersal species
Areas: all
Deployment Area: Bottom otter trawls can be operated in a very wide range of
depths (from a few meters to around 1500-2000 m), mainly at sea, but also, in
some cases in inland waters e.g. lakes.
Impact on the Environment: Bottom otter trawls interact physically with the
bottom sediment, which might result in removal or damage of sedentary living
organisms (including seaweed or coral) and in the case of uneven bottom surface
displacement of stones or other larger objects. On flat sandy/muddy bottom the
sediments might be whirled up into the water masses and suspended. The short
and long-term impact on the bottom environment is still poorly documented. More
research on this impact is urgently needed.
Impact on Aquatic Species: The major negative impact of bottom otter trawls on
the biological environment is related to the capture and frequently discarding of
non target sizes and species both of fish and non-fish species. Regulation
concerning minimum mesh size in the codend is the most commonly used
methods to limit the capture of non-target fish sizes. In recent years such size
selectivity has been improved by the introduction of square mesh codends
andselection devices like grids. Non-target species are normally reduced by the
use of selective devices, like theTurtle Excluder Device (TED) in shrimp tropical
trawls and theNordmoere grid to reduce capture of fish in the northern shrimp
fisheries
Bottom
trawls [TB]
> Type : Bottom trawls
Beam trawls
Bottom otter trawls
Bottom pair trawls
Profile
General Description: A bottom trawl is constructed like a cone-shaped net that is towed
(by one or two boats) on the bottom. It consists of a body ending in a codend, which
retains the catch. Normally the net has two lateral wings extending forward from the
opening. The mouth of the trawl is framed byheadline andgroundrope. It is designed and
rigged to catch species living on or near the bottom. Bottom contact with the gear is
needed for successful operations. Three categories of bottom trawls can be distinguished
based on how their horizontal opening is maintained: beam trawls, bottom otter trawls,
and bottom pair trawls. Beam trawls are commonly designed without wings.
Specific Equipment: The groundrope equipped withrubber discs,bobbins, spacers etc.
protect the trawl from damage. On very rough bottom special rock hopper gears are used.
Beam trawls are designed and equipped in a different way.
Specific Handling Equipment: Trawl winches installed on deck control the trawling
warps and store them when not in use.Gilson winches and lifting tackles support the
handling on deck.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Bottom Trawlers range in size from small, undecked
boats, powered by outboard engines up to large vessels with up to 8000 HP engines and
size up to 3000 GT.
Fishing Operations: Bottom trawls are designed and rigged to have bottom contact
during fishing. They are towed across the bottom at speeds ranging from 1 to 7 knots (0.5-
3,5 m/s), frequently between 3 and 5 knots. Duration of a tow mainly depends on the
expected density of fish (whether fish is aggregated or not)the shape of the bottom and the
slope in the fishing area, from a few (10-15 minutes) up to 10-12 hours, commonly 3-5
hours.
Features
Target Species: Bottom and demersal species
Areas: all
Deployment Area: Bottom trawls can be operated in a very wide range of depths
(from a few meters to 1500-2000 m), mainly at sea, but also, in some cases in inland
waters e.g. lakes.
Impact on the Environment: Bottom trawls interact physically with the bottom
sediment, which might result in removal or damage of sedentary living organisms
(including seaweed and corals) and in the case of uneven bottom surface
displacement of stones or other larger objects. On flat sandy/muddy bottom the
sediments might be whirled up into the water masses and suspended. The short and
long-term impact on the bottom environment is poorly documented despite some
scientific experiments. More research on possible impact of bottom trawling is
urgently needed to evaluate the effect on the environment.
Impact on Aquatic Species: The major potential detrimental impact of bottom
trawling on species can be the capture and removal from the ecosystem of small
sized organisms and non-target species, which frequently are discarded at sea. Such
impact can be mitigated by using larger meshes in the codends and/ordevices in the
trawl that reduce capture of small and unwanted organisms.
ast nets updated : 10-mai-2001
[FCN]
> Category : Cast nets
Profile
General Description: The cast net is a circular net which is casted from the shore or from
a small boat, but, in general, in shallow waters, to catch fish by falling and closing in on
them. The cast net has a cone-shape, with weights attached to the perimeter.
Specific Handling Equipment: No specific equipment is required
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Cast nets are used from the shore or from a boat.
Fishing Operations: The catching principle is that the net is thrown flat upon the water
surface and catch the fish by falling and closing in on them. Their use is usually restricted
to shallow waters. The operation of a cast net requires considerable knowledge and skill
from the fisherman.
Features
Target Species: This kind of nets is used to catch fish swimming near the water surface,
in rather shallow waters. Some species ofshrimps are also captured with cast nets.
Areas: Cast nets are widely used all over the world at the present time . It has been
suggested that they were originally developed in India and spread from there over east and
south Asia into Oceania, the Near East and Europe.
Deployment Area: Cast nets are employed in both, inland and marine waters.
Their use is usually restricted to rathershallow waters.
Impact on Aquatic Species: Catch of juvenile fishes cannot be avoided, but
they can be released alive if needed.
Cover pots
[FGN]
> Category : Cover pots
Profile
General Description: Cover pots and lantern nets are used to cover fish on the bottom, in
shallow waters. The fish which is trapped is taken through an opening in the upper part of
the gear. A cover pot is commonly of a wicker construction like a beehive with an opening
at the top whereas the lantern net is cover pots made of wooden frames covered by
netting.
Specific Handling Equipment: No specific equipment is required
Fishing Vessels using this gear: No fishing vessel is required
Fishing Operations: The gear is clapped over the prey and any catch, often a single
individual, is taken out though the opening on top.
Features
Target Species: Cover pots are used primarily for capturing fresh water fish, including
those that are dug into the mud.
Areas: Mainly in inland waters, in very shallow areas (pounds, lakes, floodplains, rivers),
in Asia as well as in Africa
Deployment Area: This catching method is especially successful in turbid or muddy
water, wherein grow many plants as in tropical inland water. This fishing method is
mainly used for subsistence fishing activities.
Dredges updated : 10-mai-2001
> Category : Dredges
Hand dredges
Profile
General Description: These are gears which are dragged along the bottom to
catchshellfish. They consist of a mouth frame to which a holding bag constructed of metal
rings or meshes is attached. There are two main type of dredges; heavy dredges towed by
boats (boat dredges), and lighter ones operated by hand in shallow waters ( hand dredges).
Specific Handling Equipment: For operating dredges from boatsderricks andwinches are
used to shoot and haul the dredges. Hand dredges are handled without any specific
equipment.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: The dredger is medium to large vessel (maximum 4-50
m long) and in general with powerful engine. Some larger dredgers are outrigger type
with strongoutrigger boom allowing the operation of two or more dredges at the same
time.
Fishing Operations: The dredges are gears which are dragged along the bottom. They
scrape upscallops and other shellfish from the sea bed. One or more dredges can be used
at the same time. At industrial scaleup to 10 dredges can be mounted side by side on a
beam which is towed from a unique warp.
Features
Target Species: Dredges are employed usually to collect shellfish and molluscs such
asmussels,oysters,scallops,clams, etc.
Areas: all
Deployment Area: Dredges are generally operated not too far from the
coastline always in "hard" contact with the bottom in both inland and in marine
waters Dredges might also be used for harvesting sea bed farmed mussels. A
dredge may give rise to various degree of impacts to the sea floor and the
benthic organisms living there.
Impact on the Environment: A dredge may give rise to various degree of
impacts to the sea floor and the benthic organisms living there.
Drifting
longlines [LLD]
>Category : Drifting longlines
Profile
General Description: A drifting longline consists of a mainline kept near the surface or at
a certain depth by means of regularly spaced floats and with relatively long snoods with
baited hooks, evenly spaced on the mainline. Drifting longlines may be of considerable
length. Some drifting longlines are set vertically, each line hanging from a float at the
surface.
Specific Handling Equipment: A longline for pelagic fishing is traditionally stored in
pieces, in a series of baskets which may take much space on the deck. More modern
solutions include storage of the longline on adrum orreels; spools can be used for keeping
buoy lines, long snoods, etc. Thicker, multifilament, longline are stored in large bin
(acoiling machine is normally used for setting the line into the bin). The baiting of hooks
may be manual or by a machine (baiting machine).Shooting machines are often used.
Vessels are usually equipped with a poweredline hauler.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Longliners Drifting longlines are usually set from the
stern of a vessel. At the end of each unit (basket) a buoy with a flag or lamp is set for
marking purposes. With the help of the buoy line the fishing depth can be regulated. The
hooks are baited and the branch lines are fixed on the main line, in general, during setting.
When the whole line has been set the gear is left drifting for some time.
Features
Target Species: Pelagic species as tuna, swordfish and sharks
Areas: All
Deployment Area: The method is typical of high seas fisheries but it is also widely
used in the national EEZ, sometimes, when the continental shelf is not large, not so far
from the coast.
Impact on Aquatic Species: Bycatch of sharks, sometimes turtles, and catch of
seabirds are the main negative impacts (see IPOA's Seabirds and Sharks).
Driftnets [GND] updated : 10-mai-2001
>Category : Gillnets and entangling
nets
>Type : Driftnets
Profile
General Description: Driftnets consist of a string of gillnets kept more or less vertical by
floats on the upper line (headrope) and weights on the lower line (groundrope) (sometimes
the groundrope is without weights), drifting with the current, in general near the surface or
in mid-water.
Specific Equipment: Small solid floats, usually made of plastic or of cork are attached to
the headrope and lead weights are evenly distributed along the groundrope. Commonly
are the lead attached to the core of the groundrope.
Specific Handling Equipment: For setting and hauling driftnetsnet haulers are usually
employed. Thedrifter capstan on the forepart of the vessel is typical for driftnetters. In
developing countries most nets are commonly hauled by hand.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Driftnetters
Fishing Operations: These nets drift freely with the current connected to the operating
vessel. The method of capture is by gilling and driftnets are highly size selective on the
targeted species.
Features
Target Species: Driftnets are especially used to catch schooling pelagic species
likeherring,mackerel andsardines, but also forsalmon andtuna and pelagic squid are
captured with such gears.
Areas: all
Deployment Area: Driftnets are kept near the surface, or a certain distance
below it. They are especially employed in marine waters.
Impact on Aquatic Species: The principal negative environmental impact
produced by this type of nets is related to the bycatch. of non-target species like
marine mammals, seabirds and to a minor extent turtles. In general gillnets are a
fishing gears with a high degree of size selectivity for fish, efficiently regulated
by the meshsize. It is also a gear with low energy consumption calculated on
the relationship of fuel/fish. Various instruments are developed to reduce the
negative impact of drift netting on the non-targeted biological resources. In
1991, the United Nations banned the use of large scale high seas driftnets over
2.5 kilometers long. Prior to the UN driftnet ban, these nets were of enormous
proportions reaching lengths of 40 to 60 km. Despite the UN ban on large scale
drift nets, serious concerns exist regarding ongoing violations.
Encircling
gillnets [GNC]
nets
>Type : Encircling gillnets
Profile
General Description: Encircling gillnets are gillnets set vertical, in shallow waters,
encircling fish. After the fish has been encircled by the net, noise or other means are used
to force them to gill or entangle themselves in the netting. It is a technology commonly
used by groups of small-scale fishermen (or women).
Fishing Vessels using this gear: In certain situations, small open boats orcanoes used to
set the net around the fish.
Fishing Operations: A certain area is encircled by the net, noise or other means
(frequently, by fishers moving themselves in the water) are used to scare the fish to gill or
entangle themselves in the netting surrounding them.
Features
Target Species: Pelagic and demersal very shallow waters species
Areas: all
Deployment Area: This gear is generally used in shallow water with the
floatline remaining at the surface. Encircling gillnets are employed in inland
and coastal waters.
Impact on the Environment: The negative impact on the environment is
low. The fishers are in a permanent contact with the gear. The gear is set and
immediately after scaring the fishes the gear is hauled in. Therefore all
fishes are alive and not marketable fishes can be set back.
Fixed gillnets (on
stakes) [GNF]
nets
>Type : Fixed gillnets (on stakes)
Profile
General Description: These gillnets are stretched between two or more stakes driven into
the bottom within theinter-tidal area, along the cost.
Specific Handling Equipment: These nets are usually hauled by hand. The gear is set for
several days at the same place.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Occasionally a small-size boat can be used to fix the net
on stakes or to collect the fish
Fishing Operations: The means of capture is that the fish are gilled or entangled in the
netting. The fish are collected at low tide. In areas with high tidal differences the
fishermen visit fixed gillnets during the low tide and, only, collect the captures, leaving
the gears set in the same place for several days.
Features
Target Species: Coastal species
Areas: all
Deployment Area: Fixed gillnets are used in coastal waters where there are
significant tidal differences.
Impact on Aquatic Species: The potential impact result from the fact that such
gear is used in very shallow waters. As for other gillnets, the selectivity of these
gillnets depends on the characteristics of the netting: mesh and twine sizes. If the
mesh opening is small, there is a risk of retaining too small fish and/orshrimp and
fish juveniles.
Fyke nets
[FYK]
> Category : Traps
> Type : Fyke nets
Profile
General Description: A fyke net is a fish trap. It consists of cylindrical or cone-shaped
netting bags mounted on rings or other rigid structures. It has wings or leaders which
guide the fish towards the entrance of the bags. The fyke nets are fixed on the bottom by
anchors, ballast or stakes.
Specific Handling Equipment: These gears are usually hauled by hand.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Usually small sized open boats, if any.
Fishing Operations: The fish enters voluntarily, but is hampered from coming out.
Fishermen visit traps every day collecting only the captures and leaving the gears set in
the same place for several days. The fyke nets may be used separately or in groups.
Features
Target Species: Coastal species and euryhaline species.
Deployment Area: Fyke nets are generally operated incoastal zones
andshallow waters, either in inland, inestuarine and sea waters. They are
usually set in contact to the bottom, in areas with strong currents.
Impact on Aquatic Species: The principal potential problem concerning the
impact produced by this type of gears may be some some bycatch (with
undersize and juvenile specimens) being discarded.
Gillnets and
entangling nets
nets
Driftnets
Encircling gillnets
Fixed gillnets (on stakes)
Profile
General Description: Gillnets and entangling nets are strings of single, double or triple
netting walls, vertical, near by the surface, in midwater on on the bottom, in which fish
will gill, entangle or enmesh. Gillnets and entangling nets have floats on the upper line
(headrope) and, in general, weights on the ground-line (footrope). Gillnets or entangling
nets consist in single or, less commonly, double (both are known as "gillnets", strictly
speaking) or triple netting (known as " trammel net") mounted together on the same frame
ropes. Several types of nets may be combined in one gear (for example,trammel net
combined with gillnet). These nets can be used either alone or, as is more usual, in large
numbers placed in line ('fleets' of nets). The gear can set, anchored to the bottom or left
drifting, free or connected with the vessel.
Specific Equipment: Small solid floats, usually made of plastic and spherical, cylindrical
or egg-shaped, are attached to the headrope and weights are evenly distributed along the
footrope.
Specific Handling Equipment: Gillnets (any type) can be hauled by hand, at least from
shallow or moderate depth, in small-scale fisheries (when the total length of net is not too
large). However, the use of gillnet or net hauler is now very common; sometime apower
block can also be used. The gillnets are, most of the time, folded on the deck, often within
a delimited area or, in some cases, kept onnet drums.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Gillnetters
Fishing Operations: The means of capture is that the fish are gilled, entangled or
enmeshed in the netting. Gillnetting and entangling are two different principles of
catching: a fish being retained by its gills or the whole or part of the body of the fish being
entangled, in the net webbing; one or the other may happen according to the slack of the
netting on the frame ropes.
Features
Target Species: Pelagic, demersal and benthic species
Areas: all
Deployment Area: According to their design, ballasting and buoyance,
these nets may be used to fish near to thesurface, inmidwater or at
thebottom, either in inland and sea waters.
Impact on the Environment: Real gillnets, at least those with a single
netting, are, in general, considered as having a high degree of selectivity,
in terms of fish species, as well as size of the fish which directly depends
on the size of the mesh. Incidental catch of a number of endangered
species such asturtles,sharks, marine mammals or seabirds, in certain areas
is a matter of growing concern. Researches are carried out aiming to a
reduction of this risk; at the same time, International Plans of action for the
reduction of the incidental catch of sharks or the entanglement of seabird
when operating gillnets, were agreed on. "Ghost fishing", when lost (or
discarded) gillnets, or any piece of netting, drifting or somehow attached
to the bottom, continue, somehow, is also a serious concern. The use of
new material or mounting can now make that lost nets will not fish for too
long or unlimited time. For the above mentioned reasons, the United
Nations banned, in 1991, the use of large scale high seas driftnets over 2.5
kilometers long. From the point of view of environment, in general, it is
also worth noting the low energy consumption for fishing with gillnets.
Grappling and
wounding gears [GAW]
>Category : Grappling and wounding
gears
Profile
General Description: As in hunting, man has extended the range of his arm by using
long-handled implements, which can be pushed, thrown or shot for killing, wounding or
grappling fish or molluscs.Clamps,tongs andraking devices are types within this group but
so also arespears,harpoons, arrows and other missiles.
Specific Handling Equipment: No specific handling equipment is necessary, in the
artisanal fishery. The most advanced wounding gear are thewhale harpoons.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Fishing activities are often carried out from ashore. The
use of small boats is also common.
Fishing Operations: The prey is taken by grappling, squeezing, piercing, transfixing or
wounding. Barbs prevent efforts to escape.
Features
Target Species: This kind of gears is usually used to catch isolated fish swimming near
the water surface.
Areas: all
Deployment Area: These gears are commonly operated, by hand, in shallow
waters, from the shore or from a boat, more common in inland waters but also in
the sea. In certain areas, harpooning is also carried out offshore.
Impact on Aquatic Species: In many countries the use of wounding gears is
banned as a prey can be hurt by the gear and die after escaping.
and dredges
updated : 25-avril-2001
[DRH]
> Category : Dredges
> Type : Hand dredges
Profile
General Description: These are small, light dredges consisting of a mouth frame attached
to a holding bag constructed of metal rings or meshes.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: No boat, or only small undecked vessels are employed.
Fishing Operations: Dredges operated by hand are adapted to scrape the smooth bottom
in shallow waters.
Features
Target Species: Hand dredges are employed to catch molluscs such as mussels , oysters ,
scallops , clams , etc.
Areas: all
Deployment Area: These dredges are operated by hand in shallow waters ,
from the shore or from a boat, either in inland and sea waters
Hooks and lines
[HAL]
>Category : Hooks and lines
Profile
General Description: Hooks and lines are gear where the fish is attracted by a natural or
artificial bait (lures) placed on a hook fixed to the end of a line or snood, on which they
get caught. Hooks or metallic points (jigs) are also used to catch fish by ripping them
when they pass in its range of movement. Hook and line units may be used singly or in
large numbers.
Specific Handling Equipment: These gears are hauled by hand in small-scale fisheries
whilst in large-scale fisheries vessels are usually provided with poweredline
haulers,automatic jiggers,line reels,line coilers and automatic hook handling and baiting
systems.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Liners. These gears are suitable for almost any size or
type of vessel that can operate in the area being worked. They can be employed also
without boat, directly from the coastline (jetties, rocks, beaches, etc.).
Fishing Operations: The fish are attracted by the natural or artificial bait (lures), hooked,
and held by the mouth until they are brought aboard the operating vessel which
periodically hauls the gear.
Features
Deployment Area: Hooks and lines are generally operated in a very wide range
of depths, either in inland and sea waters. With line fishing it is possible to catch
fish on rough ground, even in their hiding places between the rocks.
Lampara nets
[LA]
>Category : Surrounding nets
>Type : Lampara nets
Profile
General Description: The lampara net is a surrounding net, shaped like a dust pan or a
spoon (the leadline is much shorter than the floatline) with two lateral wings and a central
bunt with small meshes to retain the catch.
Specific Handling Equipment: A smallcapstan and a fishderrickare usually all the
special equipment required; the hauling, at the same time, of the two wings is, in general,
done by hands with several crew members. The fish is removed from the net with small
seines or by means of ascoop net/brailer.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: The vessels are, in general, relatively small and simple:9
to 18 meters in length with a 50 to 150 HP engine with a clear working deck. The size of
the crew is, in general, rather high (necessary manpower for hauling the net after the fish
was surrounded).
Fishing Operations: The net is mostly used with a single vessel, like a boat seine
operated by a single vessel. Once the shoal of fish has been surrounded, the two wings are
hauled up at the same time.
Features
Target Species: Pelagic fish
Areas: Lampara nets are mainly operated in the Mediterranean, in the USA and South
Africa especially forsardines, in Argentina for anchoveta andmackerels or in Japan, not
only for sardines, but also forseabream and flying fish; sometimes in inland waters.
Deployment Area: The gear can only be used to catch fish close to the water
surface.
Impact on Aquatic Species: The principal impact produced by this category of nets
may be occasional bycatch/discards (undersize specimens, no marketable specimens,
non target species, etc.), in particular when the lampara is used in association
withaggregating devices (FAD).
Lift nets
[LN]
>Category : Lift nets
Portable hand lift nets
Boat-operated lift nets
Shore operated stationary lift nets
Profile
General Description: Lift nets are horizontal netting panels or bag shaped like a
parallelepiped, pyramid or cone with the opening facing upwards which are submerged at
a certain depth, left for a while, the time necessary for light or bait to attract fish over the
opening, then lifted out of the water. Three main type of lift nets can be distinguished:
portable hand lift nets, boat-operated lift nets (used, in general, with light attraction),shore
or shallow water-operated lift nets.
Specific Handling Equipment: Lift nets are hauled out by hand or mechanically through
bomm(s) and blocks. The handling (setting and hauling) of large lift nets, normally
requires, in addition, one or severalwinches.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Boat-operated lift nets are often used, in small-scale
fisheries, from small catamans (e.g. in inland fisheries, in Africa) or twocanoes operating
together; other models of lift nets, larger (i.e. bag nets, "basnig", in Asia) are handled,
from large vessels, known as liftnetters. In some other cases no boats are required (for
shore stationary installations).
Fishing Operations: The operations, from the shore, from a canoe or a bigger boat,
include - the setting of the net at a certain depth, opening facing upwards; - the attraction
of the fish over the above mentioned opening, by light or bait; then, - the lifting/hauling of
the net out of the water, by hand or mechanically.
Features
Target Species: Small pelagic species, fish andsquid
Areas: all
The Gear and its Environment: It is also worth mentioning in respect to the use of light
attraction with lift nets for squid fishing, that, in far east Asia, with the steep increasing of
the power of lights, a decrease of the effectiveness of each individual liftnetter fishing in
fleets, no so far one to each other, has been observed.
Deployment Area: Lift nets are, in general, active a few meters
below the surface; when light attraction is used, the active depth
depends on the attraction power of the light; this differs much if
lamps (one or several) are above the surface or if under-water
lamps are used; with the former, the power of the lamp and the
number of these is the criteria; with the later, things depend on the
length of the under-water power cable to the lamps); either in sea
and inland waters.
Impact on Aquatic Species: The impact of the use of lift nets
depends on how selective is the attraction above the lift net
opening, mainly attraction to the light. Certain species or smaller
sizes of fish can be attracted, at the same time, in addition to target
species (a bycatch which is some time discarded).
idwater otter trawls
[OTM]
>Category : Trawl nets
>Type : Midwater trawls
>Subtype : Midwater otter trawls
Profile
General Description: A midwater otter trawl is a cone-shaped net which is towed in mid-
water. It consists of a cone-shaped body, normally made of four panels, ending in a
codend and the net has lateral wings extending forward from the opening. The horizontal
opening is maintained byotter boards. Floats and/orsailkites on the headline and weights
on the groundline provide for the vertical opening. Large modern midwater trawls are
rigged in such a way that the weights in front of and along thegroundline provide for the
vertical opening of the trawl. The cable transmitting acoustic signal form the net sonde
might also provide a lifting force that maximize the vertical trawl opening. To reduce the
resistance of the gear and achieve a large opening, the front part of the trawls are usually
made from very large rhombic or hexagonal meshes. The use of nearly parallel ropes
instead of meshes in the front part is also a common design. The largest mesh sizes used
so far are 128 m and, on modern large midwater trawls, approximately three quarters of
the length of the trawl is made with mesh sizes above 400 mm.
Specific Equipment: Hydrodynamic designed otter boards are used for midwater
trawling. The fishing depth is usually controlled by means of anet sounder (netsonde) or
depth recorders. As for other types of trawls,catch sensors can be installed in thecodend to
give information about the amount of caught fish.Tension sensors can also be used in
combination with balanced winches to guarantee a stable, optimal opening.
Horizontalsonars and fish finding equipment is a prerequisite for successful operations.
Specific Handling Equipment: Most of the vessels engaged in midwater trawling are
equipped withnet drums.Trawl winches installed on deck control thewarps and store them
when not in use. The larger midwater trawlers use pumps for emptying the codend.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Midwater otter trawls are used especially by stern
trawlers.
Fishing Operations: A midwater otter trawl is towed by a single boat. Midwater trawling
is a well-aimed fishing activity. The fish shoals are located by sonar (but some midwater
trawling can also be carried out on slightly scattered fish staying in a given layer of water)
and the vessel is towing in the direction of the shoal. The fishing depth level, which is
controlled by the net sounder, is regulated by the length of the warps and/or the towing
speed.
Features
Target Species: Pelagic species, mainly fish andcephalopods,northern shrimp (also small
crustaceans, krill)
Areas: all
Deployment Area: Midwater, or pelagic, fishing is carried out mainly at sea,
on the continental shelf, sometimes in deeper waters, also in some lakes.
Impact on the Environment: No impact on bottom habitat and bottom
structure.
Impact on Aquatic Species: In most cases it is a single species fishery,
bycatch rates of other species are low. Incidental catch ofdolphins and marine
mammals may occur in some areas,
Otter twin trawls
[OTT]
> Type : Otter twin trawls
Profile
General Description: This special rigging system for this particular gear was developed
to increase the horizontal fishing area of the trawl and comprises two identical trawls
("twin") fixed together. The horizontal opening is provided by a single pair ofotter boards,
which are attached to the trawl close to the wings. Their inner wings are attached to
asledge towed simultaneously with the otter boards from a commoncrow foot. An other
option used on modern vessels in the northern shrimp fishery is to tow the gear with three
warps.
Specific Handling Equipment: Trawl winches installed on deck control the trawling
wires and store them when not in use. In addition to the standard two-bobbins winch (or to
two single-bobbin winches), a third winch with one bobbin can be necessary according to
the rigging of the twin trawls (which can be either two or three warps arriving to the
trawler).
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Trawler
Fishing Operations: In twin trawling one vessel tows two to four trawls. In shrimp trawl
and nephrops trawl fisheries it is common to tow twin trawls over the stern. With a special
rigging there is also a possibility for towing three trawls using to warps. In tropicalshrimp
trawling with outriggers twin trawls are towed on each side (which makes a total of four
trawls towed at the same time).
Features
Target Species: They are generally used for catchingshrimp or bottom species.
Areas: all
Deployment Area: All shrimp trawling areas.
Impact on Aquatic Species: Unwanted bycatch of fish is one of the main
negative impacts. Use ofbycatch reduction devices (BRD) can mitigate the
problem.
Pole and lines
[LHP]
> Category : Pole and lines
Profile
General Description: A pole and line consists of a hooked line attached to a pole. This
method is common to sport fisheries (angling) but it is also used in commercial fisheries.
Fishing rods/poles are made of wood (including bamboo, also constructed of split cane)
and increasingly of fiberglass.
Specific Handling Equipment: Pole and lines may be hand operated or mechanized, e.g.,
for tuna catching, with the pole movement being entirely automatic.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Pole and lines can be operated either from the shore
(sport fishing) or (for commercial or sport fishing) from any type of vessel, from the
smallest ones. In industrial fisheries, the most common are " pole and line vessels" fishing
fortuna. Thetuna pole and line vessels are units from15 to almost 40 meters in length with
special arrangement for using as many poles as possible from the side of the boat and for
keeping bait on board, in the best condition, if possible alive.
Fishing Operations: Fish are attracted by the bait. In small-scale professional or sport
fisheries the pole is swung so to reach the line, a moulinet has to be used when the line is
much longer than the pole; the small fish is, then, taken from the hook by hand. On board
tuna pole and lines vessels, the hooked fish/tuna are swung on board, by hands (by two to
three fishermen if the tuna is very big) or with an automatic swinging system; the tuna
normally release themselves from the barbless hook when they touch the deck of the
vessel.
Features
Areas: all
Deployment Area: Pole and lines are operated in a very wide range of depths,
either in inland and sea waters. For commercial fishing for large pelagic fish/tuna
only fish swimming very close to the surface are caught.
Impact on the Environment: In general, the use of this method has not potential
negative impact.
Pots
[FPO]
> Category : Traps
> Type : Pots
Profile
General Description: A pot is designed in the form of cages or baskets, small or large
(with dimensions ranging from around half a meter to two), made from various materials
(wood, wicker, metal rods, wire netting, plastic etc.). They might have one or more
openings or entrances. Most of the pots are set on the bottom, while a few models are
designed to be in mid-water. Pots are used with or without bait, depending on the target
species. The bait is composed usually by pieces of fish, but also common is the use of
artificial flavourished baits. Pot are frequently set in rows.
Specific Handling Equipment: Pots are hauled either by hand (if the depth is not too
large and if there are only a few pots to be retrieved) or with a pot hauler or line coilers
(for deep water fishing or hauling a series of pots).
Fishing Vessels using this gear: A small open boat may set one to three large pots
inshore; larger decked artisanal unit, 15-20 m long may set one hundred or more pots up
to the hedge of the continental shelf; an industrial potter, up to almost 50 m long, will sets
hundreds of pot far offshore, i.e. for kingcrab fishing in the North Pacific .
Fishing Operations: Pots are usually set on the bottom, mostly with bait, single or in
rows/strings connected to a line (longline system). The fish, cephalopodes and/or
crustaceans may enter either for sheltering or attracted by a bait, but are hampered from
coming out. The soaking time may last from one or two hours to almost a full day,
sometime more but the most common is that fishers haul their pots every day. In order to
accommodate more pots on the limited space available on the deck of a vessel, certain
models of pots are either collapsible or designed in such a way that they can be piled one
upon each other..
Features
Target Species: Pots are used to catch crustaceans (lobster , crabs , shrimps ), shellfish,
octopus , and all kinds of reef fish.
Areas: All over the world
Deployment Area: Pots are generally operated in a very wide range of depths,
either in inland, in estuarine and in marine waters. While some pots are set on
smooth, muddy or sandy bottom for catching shrimp or fish, most of them work
best when set close to rocks, reefs , coral or wrecks. Certain models of pot are set in
mid-water for pelagic fish.
Impact on the Environment: The size of the mesh (diamond plastic or square
wire) or the distance between the slats are making, to a certain extent, a selection
letting the smallest individual to escape; in addition, in more and more fisheries, a
regulation imposes that an "escape panel" is included on one side of the pot. When a
pot is lost, it may continue to fish for some time; this is known as "Gost fishing "; it
will be limited if, at least a part of the pot is made from biodegradable material.
Purse
seines updated : 10-mai-2001
[PS]
>Type : Purse seines
Profile
General Description: A purse seine is made of a long wall of netting framed with
floatline and leadline (usually, of equal or longer length than the former)and having purse
rings hanging from the lower edge of the gear, through which runs a purse line made from
steel wire or rope which allow the pursing of the net. For most of the situation, it is the
most efficient gear for catching large and small pelagic species that is shoaling.
Technical Plan:
Specific Handling Equipment: Small purse seines can be operated entirely by hand in
small scale fisheries. In artisanal or semi-industrial fisheries, the purse seine handling
equipment may include: apurse seine winch or acapstan, a purse line reel, a brailer and a
power block and in some fisheries, a net drum. In industrial purse seine fishery, the basic
equipment include, in general: a hydraulicpower block orTriplex roller, a powerful purse
seine winch, a number of derricks, including abrailer or afish pump, and small winches,
an auxiliary boat "skiff" and sometimes, an helicopter.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: The purse seine can be used by a large range of vessel
sizes, ranging from open boats and canoes up to large ocean going vessels. The purse
seines can be operated by one or two boats. Most usual is a purse seine operated by a
single boat, purse seiner, with or without an auxiliary skiff.
Fishing Operations: Searching for fish aggregation, then checking (when possible) the
fish species and evaluating school sizes and its catchability, prior to surrounding it is the
major part of a purse seine operation. The purse seine is set around a detected school of
fish. After that, the net is closed underneath the school by hauling the purse line running
through the rings (pursing). Hydroacoustic instruments, likesonars are important tools to
locate fish aggregations. Also common is the use of "natural" signs of fish aggregations
(often observed with binoculars) to start with the fishing operation, like concentration of
sea birds, ruffling of the water surface and presence of groups of dolphins. Artificial "Fish
Aggregating Devices" (FAD's) andlight attractions are used in some fisheries to
concentrate the fish.
Features
Target Species: water Aggregated pelagic species (schools) of all sizes from small
sardines (to the large tunas).
Areas: all
Deployment Area: In general the purse seines are surface gears used in the marine
coastal and high-sea waters. Aggregated resources in the upper levels are most
common, but fish at depths up to 300 m can be targeted. The purse seines are also
used in inland areas when there is enough room for the operation of a large net).
Impact on the Environment: Because of its characteristics there is no impact on
the bottom habitat (except when the water depth is less than the height of the seine
during the fishing operations and that the lower edge of the gear wipes the sea
bottom).
Impact on Aquatic Species: The main negative impact is the incidental capture of
dolphins in certain fishing areas. Special techniques have been developed to reduce
bycatch of dolphins; the Medina panel and "back down" operation, which allow
encircleddolphins to escape alive. When small pelagic purse seines are used with
light attraction, there may be incidental catch/bycatch (including too small fish,
juveniles or endangered species). The increasingly used practice of encircling
floating objects, including man-made FADs increases the capture of small sized and
immature aggregating around such devices.
Ring
nets updated : 25-avril-2001
[RN]
>Type : Ring nets
Profile
General Description: A ring net is a surrounding net the form of which is intermediate
hybrid between a purse seine and a lampara net : like on a purse seine, rings at the lower
edge of the net, allow using a purse line to close it under the fish (pursing) and like on a
lampara net, there is a central bunt (with smaller mesh) in which the capture concentrates
as the two wings are hauled together and the leadline being shorter than the floatline give
some how a spoon-shape as in lamapara net.
Specific Handling Equipment: A small capstan and a derrick are usually all the special
equipment required. The fish is removed from the net by means of a scoop net or brailer.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Vessels using ring net are usually small and simple in
respect to equipment, a range around 12 to 24 meters length .
Fishing Operations: Most ring net boats work on two-boat system which is much handier
when the net has to be towed. When a suitable shoal of fish is located and both vessels are
ready, the first vessel will drop its marker light over the side and proceed round one side
of the shoal, paying out bridles and net. After the aggregated fish has been surrounded, the
purse line is hauled for pursing/closing the bottom of the net. Then the two wings are
pulled on board at the same time and the fish concentrate in the central bunt. Finally, the
catch if taken from the bunt, aside of the boat, by using a scoop net.
Features
Target Species: Pelagic fish
Areas: all
Deployment Area: The gear is only used to catch fish close to the water
surface, in both marine and inland waters.
Impact on Aquatic Species: The potential negative impact may come from
occasional bycatch/discards effects (undersize specimens, no marketable
specimens, non target species, etc.).
Scoop basket/nets
[SN]
>Category : Scoop basket/nets
Profile
General Description: These are small hand operated devices formed likebagnets and
used to scoop fish and other prey out of the water. Originally they were made of wood like
flat baskets but are now more or less deep bags made of netting materials. A typical
feature of this gear is that it is held open by a frame around the opening of the bag. The
form and operation of the scoop basket/nets, is long known and widely distributed, and
differs very much from area to area, like all gear manufactured individually. Scoop nets
are mainly used in artisanal fisheries.
Specific Handling Equipment: No specific handling equipment is necessary.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: The use of a boat is not necessary.
Fishing Operations: Scoop nets in whatever form, used as direct fishing gear, will be
operated in a different manner by men, women and children. The usual method is a
scooping movement when wading in breast-deep water. Catching by scooping demands
rapid action for successful results.
Features
Target Species: Small fish andshrimps
Areas: All
Deployment Area: Scoop nets are operated usually incoastal waters, from the
shore or from a boat, either in inland and sea waters.
Impact on Aquatic Species: Removal of small, often juvenile fishes and shrimps
from the habitat.
Seine updated : 25-avril-2001
nets
> Category : Seine nets
Beach seines
Boat seines
Profile
General Description: A seine net is a very long net, with or without a bag in the centre,
which set either from the shore or from a boat for surrounding a certain area and is
operated with two (long) ropes fixed to its ends (for hauling and herding the fish). Two
types of gear can be distinguished in this category: beach seines and boat seines
Specific Handling Equipment: While, no specific gear handling equipment is required
for beach seine operations, the problem for manoeuvering seine nets in general consists,
first, in hauling the long ropes attached to the ends of the net: this is done either by hand (
beach seine ) or with a winch ( boat seine ). When seine nets are used from boats, rope
drums can be used for storing the long ropes, a power blocks can also help for bringing
the net on board.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: For the operation of a beach seine, only a rather small
undecked vessels may be necessary fro setting the net. The boat seine are operated from a
wide range of rather small and simple boats and by modern specialized medium size units
with specific deck equipment. According to the fishing technique used, seine nets can be
operated by to medium and large decked vessels.
Fishing Operations: Seines are usually set from a boat to surround a certain area and are
hauled either from the shore (beach seines) or from the boat itself (boat seines).
Features
Target Species: Mainly demersal species, less frequently for pelagic species
Areas: all
Deployment Area: Seine nets are operated both in inland and in marine waters.
The surrounded and catching area depends on the length of the seine and of the
hauling lines. The seine nets are used, in marine waters, on the continental shelf,
from the coast to down to 500 m and are very common everywhere, lakes, large
rivers, etc.
Impact on Aquatic Species: The potential negative impact may consist in the
bycatch/discards (undersize specimens, no marketable specimens, non target
species, etc...) and results from the use of a large net, with, frequently, too small
meshes, in coastal waters.
Set gillnets
[GNS]
> Category : Set gillnets
Profile
General Description: A set gillnet consists of a single netting wall kept more or less
vertical by afloatline and a weightedgroundline. The net is set on the bottom, or at a
certain distance above it and kept stationary by anchors or weights on both ends. Gillnets
are of special interest for artisanal fisheries because it is a low cost fishery.
Specific Equipment: Small solid floats, usually made of plastic and either cylindrical or
egg-shaped, are attached to the headline and lead weights are evenly distributed along the
groundline. The netting is made ofmultifilament nylon, monofilament or
multimonofilament fibres to keep the visibility of the gear low. The size distribution of the
catch is very much dependant on the mesh size used in the gillnet.
Specific Handling Equipment: On small boats the gillnets are handled by hand. More
common is the gear handling supported by hydraulic drivennet haulers.Net drums are also
used for gillnets.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Gillnetters. In artisanal fisheries no specialized vessels
are needed. Bigger boats or vessels, engaged in gillnetting are equipped with net haulers.
Fishing Operations: The dominant method of capture is by gilling.
Features
Target Species: Pelagic, demersal and benthic species. The size distribution of the catch
is very much dependant on the mesh size used in the gillnet.
Areas: Set gillnets are today widely used all over the world.
Deployment Area: Set gillnets are employed in inland and sea waters. According to
their design these nets may be used to fish in surface layers, in mid water or at the
bottom
Impact on Aquatic Species: In general gillnets are a fishing gears with a high degree
of selectivity, regulated by the mesh size of the gear. Incidental catch ofturtles
andsharks are a matter of growing concern. An "International Plan of action for the
conservation and management of sharks" adopted by COFI aims to reduce the problem.
In some areas the entangling of seabirds, especially ducks, is a problem for gillnet
fishers. Closure of areas is one possibility to avoid this problem. "Ghost" fishing of lost
gears is one of the major problems in the gillnet fishery. The synthetic fibres do not rot
and the gear will fish for a long time. Fixing the floats to the netting with biodegradable
material can reduce the problem.
Gear Costs: Gillnets are of special interests for artisanal fisheries because it is a low cost
fishery. It is a gear with low energy consumption calculated on the relationship of
fuel/fish.
Set longlines [LLS] updated : 10-mai-2001
> Category : Set longlines
Profile
General Description: A set longline consists of amain line andsnoods with baited
(occasionally unbaited)hooks at regular intervals and which is set, in general, on or near
the bottom. The number of hooks, distance of snoods on the mainline and length of the
snoods depends on the target species, the handling capacity and technology used.
Longlines can be set asbottom lines (including on very rough bottom and/or coral reefs)
or, less commonly, in midwater or even not far from the surface. Its length can range from
few hundred meters in coastal fisheries to more than 50 km in large scale mechanized
fisheries.
Specific Handling Equipment: Vessels are usually provided with poweredline hauler
orgurdy that may be mechanically or hydraulically driven. The baiting of hooks may be
manual or by a "baiting machine". On board modern automatic longliners, almost all the
manoeuvres are mechanized with a series of specialized pieces of equipment
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Longliners. The vessels range from open boats, using
manual operated longlines, to highly mechanized, specialized, vessels, equipped with a
series of specialized pieces of equipment for the mechanization of almost all the
manoeuvres. The most modern longliners have fully sheltered deck with only a window
by the stern for shooting the line and another by the side forward to haul back the line.
Such, highly rationalized, arrangement increase the safety of the vessel and improved the
working conditions of the crew.
Fishing Operations: The fish are attracted by the natural or artificial bait (lures), hooked
and held by the mouth until they are brought aboard the operating vessel which
periodically hauls the gear.
Features
Target Species: Bottom or demersal species, occasionally, pelagic one.
Areas: All over the world, in the sea and inland
Deployment Area: Longlines are operated from shallow waters to thousand or more
meters in depth, on all types of bottoms, including very rough ones.
Impact on Aquatic Species: Incidental catch ofturtle, of certain species ofsharks or
other endangered species are possible negative impacts. Incidental catch of seabirds
when setting and/or hauling the line are also possible. Technologies exist for
avoiding the catch of seabirds while reducing the bycatch, in general, (turtle,sharks
or other) is more difficult.
tow nets
[FSN]
> Category : Traps
> Type : Stow nets
Profile
General Description: This is a stationary gear made from netting, usually in the form of
a cone or pyramid. Stow nets can be fixed for a long time at the same place in rows. These
nets are fixed by means of anchors or stakes, placed according to the direction and
strength of the current. The mouths are sometimes held open by a frame, which may or
may not be supported by a boat.
Specific Handling Equipment: The bag ending the cone or pyramid of nettings gears are
usually hauled by hand while the body is left in position.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Usually small size undecked vessels are necessary, only,
for visiting the bag and taking the fish.
Fishing Operations: The fish or other organisms entering, more or less voluntarily, are
caught by filtering. Permanent current is necessary for the operation.
Features
Target Species: Fresh water and marine fishes
Areas: all
Deployment Area: These gears used in rivers,estuaries orshallow coastal waters
areas with strong currents. Because of the precondition of strong currents in one
direction they are not often used in open marine waters.
Impact on the Environment: Because of very small mesh commonly used in the
bag of stow nets and the setting of this type of gear in coastal areas, the catch of
juveniles and fish fry are common and this may have a negative impact on living
resources.
Surrounding
nets
Lampara nets
Purse seines
Ring nets
Profile
General Description: Surrounding nets are large netting walls set for surrounding
aggregated fish both from the sides and from underneath, thus preventing them from
escaping by diving downwards. Apart from a few exceptions, these are surface nets. The
netting wall is framed by lines: afloatline on top andleadline at the bottom.
Specific Handling Equipment: According to the type of surrounding nets gear, specific
equipment may be required, the main requirement being some facility for manoeuvreing
large to very large net.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Vessels using surrounding nets can be included in the
size range going from<12 to >45 meters length.
Fishing Operations: They catch the fish by surrounding them both from the sides and
from underneath, thus preventing the target species from escaping by diving downwards.
Features
Target Species: Surrounding nets are the most important and most effective gears to catch
aggregated pelagic species both large (tuna and tuna-like species) and small ones (for
small pelagic fish, midwater trawling in a good alternative in many cases).
Areas: all
Deployment Area: Apart from a few exceptions, surrounding nets are surface
nets which can, in principle, be used everywhere, in both marine and inland areas
(as long as there is enough space for the operation of a large net). The only
limitation could be in too shallow waters where the water depth is less than the
height of the surrounding net during the fishing operations making a risk of
damage to the fishing gear.
Impact on Aquatic Species: Incidental capture of dolphins by tuna purse seiners
is regarded as an irresponsible fishing practice. Special techniques have been
developed to reduce bycatch ofdolphins; theMedina panel and "back down"
operation, which ensure that encircled dolphins are released alive. The
increasingly used practice of encircling floating objects, including man-
madeFADs increases the capture of small sized and immature aggregating around
such devices.
Trammel nets
[GTR]
> Category : Trammel nets
Profile
General Description: A trammel net consists of two/three layers of netting with a slack
small mesh inner netting between two layers of large mesh netting within which fish will
entangle. These nets are strings of single, double or triple netting walls kept more or less
vertical by floats on theheadrope and mostly by weights on thegroundrope. These are
occasionally set in strings.
Specific Equipment: Small solid floats, usually made of plastic and either cylindrical or
egg-shaped, are attached to the headrope and lead weights are evenly distributed along the
groundrope.
Specific Handling Equipment: Most trammel nets use to be hauled by hand.
Moderngillnet haulers may also be used fro hauling the nets.Net drums are also,
occasionally, employed.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Gillnetters
Fishing Operations: Trammel nets are most common as stationary gear, but they can also
be used drifting. The fish entangle themselves in a pocket of small mesh webbing between
the two layers and large meshed walls. Afterwards, the trammel nets are hauled back to
the surface for extracting the entangling fish from the netting.
Features
Target Species: Demersal species, fish and crustaceans.
Areas: all
Deployment Area: These nets are especially used to fish at, or near to, the bottom in
inland and marine waters.
Impact on Aquatic Species: "Ghost" fishing of lost gears and capture of small sized
organisms and non-target species, which are frequently discarded at sea. Such impact
can be mitigated by using larger meshes. However, compared to gillnets the selectivity
of trammel nets are lower and catches of small organisms and non-target species are
common.
Traps updated : 10-mai-2001
>Category : Traps
Pots
Fyke nets
Stow nets
Barriers, Fences, Weirs, Corrals, etc.
Aerial traps
Stationary uncovered pound nets
Profile
General Description: Traps, large stationary nets or barrages or pots, are gears in which
the fish are retained or enter voluntarily and will be hampered from escaping. They are
designed in such manner that the entrance itself became a non- return device, allowing the
fish to enter the trap but making it impossible to leave the catching chamber. Traps are
baited or not. Pieces of fish are often used as bait. Artificial baits are also in use. Other
types of traps are provided with large guiding panels made from netting to lead the fish
into the catching chamber. Different materials are used for building a trap; wood, split
bamboo, netting wire are some examples.
Specific Handling Equipment: Traps, large stationary nets type, are usually hauled by
hand but forpot haulers are increasingly used, especially for hauling pots from deep
waters. Larger traps like pound nets are increasingly handled with hydraulic hauling
devices, Like "ball-rollers".
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Trap setters
Fishing Operations: These are a group of gear in which the fish enters voluntarily, but is
hampered from coming out. Fishermen visit traps regularly for collecting the catch and
replacing bait, if any, leaving the gears set in the same place for several days. Traps like
pots can more easily be moved from one fishing location to another.
Features
Target Species: Large stationary nets or barrages are used to catch migrating fish (pelagic
and demersal). Pots are used for catchinglobster,crabs,shrimps, octopus, eels, and all kinds
of reef fish and euryhaline species.
Deployment Area: Traps are operated in a very wide range of depths, either in
inland, inestuarine and sea waters. Large traps (stationary nets or barrages) are set
incoastal waters; pots can be anywhere up to several hundred meters depth.
Impact on the Environment: Low negative environmental impact, caught
juveniles or undersized species can be released alive. Mesh size in the trap can also
be used to release small sized individuals. Lost pot will continue to fish and thus
"ghost fish" but, in more and more fisheries, a regulation requires that a pot includes
some escapement window/panel.
Trawl nets
[TN]
Bottom trawls
Midwater trawls
Otter twin trawls
Profile
General Description: 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.
Specific Equipment: According to the type of trawl net used, netsonde , trawl monitor
sensors (depth, distance, height, speed, symmetry, catch a.o), otter boards, beam, and
other specific equipment can be employed.
Specific Handling Equipment: Winches installed on deck control and store the warps.
Auxiliary winches , net drums and lifting tackles are equipment that assist the handling of
the trawl gear.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Trawlers range in size from smaller undecked boats,
powered by outboard engines up to large freezer trawlers and factory trawlers which fish
in the most distant waters.
Fishing Operations: Trawling is the operation of towing a net to catch fish and/or
shellfish. The trawls are towed either with bottom contact or in midwater. Different
devices providing the forces to keep the trawls open horizontally (otter boards, beams and
two vessels and vertically (floats and weights). The catch principle is filtering the water.
The towing speed varies, according to the type of trawl and trawling, to the target species,
etc., from 1 to 7 knots, the most common being 3 to 5.
Features
Target Species: Bottom, demersal and pelagic species
Areas: all
Deployment Area: Trawls are used in sea fisheries and to a lesser extent also in
freshwater where there is sufficient space for towing and a clean environment
(bottom without too many obstacles, open water without too much floating
debris).
Impact on the Environment: See the environmental impact caused by Bottom
trawls ; Beam trawls ; Midwater trawls .
Impact on Aquatic Species: The major potential detrimental impact of trawling
on species can be the capture and removal from the ecosystem of small sized
organisms and non-target species, which frequently are discarded at sea. Such
impact can be mitigated by using larger meshes in the codends and/or devices in
the trawl that reduce capture of small and unwanted organisms.
Trolling lines
[LTL]
> Category : Trolling lines
Profile
General Description: A trolling line consists of a line with natural or artificial baited
hooks and is trailed by a vessel near the surface or at a certain depth. Several lines are
often towed at the same time, by usingoutriggers to keep the lines away from the wake of
the vessel. The line are hauled by hand or with small winches. A piece of rubber is often
included in each line as a shock absorber.
Specific Handling Equipment: Hauling trolling lines might be mechanized. Outriggers
(made from wood or metal) should be light and reasonably flexible.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Trollers
Fishing Operations: A number of lures or baited hooks are towed astern at a speed
depending on the target species, from 2, 3 knots up to at least 7, the fish being hooked
after snapping at the lure and held by the mouth until they can be brought aboard as the
line is hauled in.
Features
Target Species: Small fish (e.g.mackerel) and big pelagic fish astuna.
Areas: all
Deployment Area: Trolling lines are towed near the surface, or a certain
distance below it. They are employed in marine and in freshwater fishing.
Impact on Aquatic Species: Non-targeted fish is seldom captured; it is a very
selective fishing method.
Vertical lines
[LHM]
> Category : Vertical lines
Profile
General Description: A vertical line consists of a line to which is attached sinker and one
or several hooks. In commercial fisheries the lines have usually several hooks. The
additional hooks can be fixed on themainline at short intervals with branch lines of a
certain length. A special form of vertical lines are thejigger lines, mostly used in the
fishery for squid. Specialsquid jiggers (Ripped hooks) are mounted one after the other in a
certain distance with a monofilament line. The line weighed down by sinkers can be set up
to 200 m depth and is hauled with jerky movements.
Specific Handling Equipment: The lines might be operated manually with or without
using a pole or rod, or mechanically, usingpowered reels ordrums.
Fishing Vessels using this gear: Depending on the method of line fishing, vessels of all
sizes can be used. They range from open boats to larger vessels with severalline haulers or
large, industrial,squid jigging vessels equipped with series ofjigging machines and strong
lamps to attract the target species.
Fishing Operations: The fish are attracted by natural or artificial bait (lures), sometimes
in association with light attraction, hooked and held by the mouth until they are brought
aboard the operating vessel which periodically or continuously hauls the gear.
Features
Target Species: Pelagic, demersal and benthic species.
Areas: all
Deployment Area: Vertical lines are operated in a very wide range of depths, either in
inland and sea waters. With line fishing it is possible to catch fish on rough ground,
even in their hiding places between the rocks.
Impact on Aquatic Species: The type and size of the hooks and sort of bait can be
adjusted to the target species; this method is rather selective. However, in certain areas,
some incidental catch, e.g. ofsharks, may create problems.

Fishing Gears

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Fishing Gears

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Fishing gears and methods

1. Surrounding nets (including purse seines)

This classification is being slightly modified to accommodate the most recent

Prepared by Wilfred Thiele and Joel Prado

Deploying a purse seine

Pulling in fishing nets

Aerial traps [FAR] updated : 10-mai-2001

You might also like