GROUP 8

EXP 203
 FISH CAPTURE

Capture fishery refers to all kinds of harvesting of naturally occurring living resources in both
Marine and fresh environments. Source: Green Facts. More, On a broad level,
Capture fisheries can be classified as industrial, small scale/artisanal and recreational.
What are the examples of capture fishing?

Capture fisheries is intended for catching fishes, prawns, lobsters, crabs,

mollusks etc. India is endowed with vast and varied aquatic resources (Marine and
Inland) amenable for capture fisheries. India is the third largest producer of fish and
second largest producer of inland fish in the world.

What is the importance of fish capture?

Inland capture fisheries and aquaculture contribute over

40% to the world's reported finfish production from less
than 0.01% of the total volume of water on earth. These
fisheries provide food for billions and livelihoods for
millions of people worldwide.
 What is the significant role of fish in our society?

Fish is a vital source of food for people. It is man's most important sole
source of high-quality protein, providing ∼16% of the animal protein
consumed by the world's population, according to the Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (1997).

What is the difference between capture fishing and culture

fishing?

Capture fishery involves catching fish directly from water bodies i.e.,
lakes, sea, ponds, etc. Culture fishery involves growing, rearing, and
then capturing of fishes from fish tanks. The capture is done from
natural water bodies such as oceans, rivers, lakes, and ponds
HISTORY OF FISHING

Fishing is a prehistoric practice dating back at

least 40,000 years. Since the 16th century,
fishing vessels have been able to cross
oceans in pursuit of fish, and since the 19th
century it has been possible to use larger
vessels and, in cases, process the fish on
board. Fish are normally caught in the wild.
Who invented fishing?
Fish fossils found during archaeological digs appear to show
that Homo habilis then Homo erectus were the first fishers,
500 000 years ago. However, fishing only really developed
after the appearance of Homo sapiens during the Upper
Paleolithic period between 40 000- and 10 000-years BCE

What is the first fish?

The first fish were primitive jawless forms (agnathans) which
appeared in the Early Cambrian, but remained rare until the
Silurian and Devonian when they underwent a rapid
evolution
FISHING CLASSIFICATION
 MASSIVE FISHING GEARS
- Nets
a. Gillnets
b. Trammel nets
GILLNETS
Catching principle: The gillnet is named after its catching principle, as fish are usually
caught by "gilling" - i.e., the fish is caught in one of the meshes of the gillnet, normally
by the gill region (between the head and the body)
Target species: Gillnets are used to catch a large variety of fish species. In general, bottom
gillnets are used for catching demersal species like cod, flatfish, croakers, and snapper,
while pelagic gillnets are used for species like tuna, mackerel, salmon, squid, and herring.
TRAMMEL NETS
Catching principle: In trammel nets, fish are caught by entanglement, which is facilitated
by its special construction of three panels of nets attached on the same rope with a high
degree of slackness.
Target species: Trammel nets are used for catching a large variety of demersal fish.
 HOOK AND LINE FISHING
a. Handlining and trolling
b. Longlining

HANDLINING AND TROLLING

Construction: The gear is simple: a nylon monofilament is commonly used as line with one to several hooks at the
end with bait or lures.
Target species: Typical target species with handlining are demersal fishes like cod and snapper as well as squid.
Trolling is directed towards pelagic species like mackerel, tuna, and salmon.
LONGLINING
Catching principle: Longlining is based on attracting fish by bait attached to the hook. While handlining and trolling
exploit the visual sense of the fish to attract it to the hook by artificial lures, longlining exploits the chemical sense
of the fish. Odor released from the bait triggers the fish to swim towards and ingest the baited hook with a high
probability of being caught.
Target species: Pelagic (drifting) longlines are typically used for catching species like tuna, swordfish, and salmon,
while bottom set longlines are used for demersal species like snapper, cod, haddock, halibut, ling, tusk, hake and
toothfish.
 POTS AND TRAPS
a. Pots
b. Traps
POTS
Catching principle; As with longlining, pot fishing is normally based on attracting target organisms by bait (chemical stimuli).
When attracted to the pot, the target organism must enter the pot to gain access to the bait. This can be done through one or
several entrances (funnels) of the pot.
Target species: Pots are most widely used to catch different crustaceans, like crabs, lobsters, and shrimps. Pots are also used
for catching distinct species of finfish like sablefish, tusk and cod in temperate waters and reef fish such as groupers in tropical
waters. Other species that are caught with pots are whelks and octopus.
TRAPS
Catching principle - Traps are normally not baited but catch fish and other organisms by leading them into the trap, eventually
to the fish compartment, which is designed for holding the fish entrapped with low possibility of escaping.
Target species: A variety of target species are caught by tidal traps, both finfish and crustaceans, e.g., shrimps, naturally
dominated by species living in the tidal zone. As mentioned above, traps are traditionally used for catching cod and salmon (N.
Atlantic), tuna (Mediterranean), small pelagic species in Far East Asia, species of weakfish (members of the Sciaenidae) and
others. Fyke nets are used for catching various species but are particularly used for eel and cod.
 SPEARS AND HARPOONS

Catching principle: Capture with

spears and harpoons depends on
visual observation of the target
species, which is then impaled by the
spear or harpoon from a short
distance.
Target species: Common target
species with this fishing method are
flatfish, swordfish, tunas, and
whales
 TRAWLS AND DREDGES
Catching principle:
Construction:
Trawls and dredges are in principle netting bags that are towed through the water to catch different
target species in their path. During fishing, the trawl entrance or trawl opening must be kept open. With
beam trawls and dredges this is done by mounting the trawl bag on a rigid frame or beam. With otter
trawls the opening is maintained by so-called otter boards (trawl doors) in front of the trawl which keep
the trawl open sideways while the vertical opening is maintained by weights on the lower part (ground-
rope) and floats on the upper part (headline). With pair trawling, the vertical opening is also maintained
by weights and floats, while the lateral opening is maintained by the distance between the two vessels
that are towing the trawl. In otter trawling, the trawl is connected to the trawl boards by a pair of
sweeps (rope or steel wire) and the trawl doors are connected to the vessel by a pair of warps (normally
steel wire). In otter trawling and partially in pair trawling, the sweeps and warps are also part of the
catching system, as they will herd fish towards the center of the trawl path and the approaching trawl,
so that the trawl may catch fish over a larger area than that of the trawl opening. With beam trawl and
dredges there is little or no herding of target species in front of the trawl, so the effective catching area
is that of the trawl or dredge opening.
 SEINE NETS
Seine nets
Catching principle: Seine netting (including two variations known as Danish
seining and Scottish seining) can be described as a combination of trawling and
seining (see below). When setting the gear, the first warp (rope) is attached to
an anchor with a surface buoy (Danish seining) or a buoy only (Scottish seining)
and set in a semicircle. Then the seine bag is set before paying out the second
warp in another semicircle back to the buoy (attached to the anchor in Danish
seining). When the seine and warps have sunk to the bottom, the warps are
hauled. As they are tightened, the warps move inwards towards the center line
between the vessel and the seine bag. Fish in the encircled area will then be
headed towards the central part of the area. As the warps are further tightened,
the seine bag moves forward and catches the fish.
Target species: The seine net is still commonly used to catch different flatfishes
such as plaice and sole, but has in recent years become an important gear also
for cod and other demersal target species
 BEACH SEINES

Catching principle: The operation of beach

seines is based on encircling fish schools by a
netting wall, made of webbing where the
meshes are so small that the target species
does not get entangled.
Target species: Beach seines catch a variety
of inshore fish species, both demersal and
pelagic.
PURSE SEINES

Catching principle: The purse seine is used to

encircle fish schools in mid-water, close to the
surface, by a netting wall with small meshes. The
lower part of the net is then closed to prevent
escapement by diving.
Target species: Purse seine fishing is used
exclusively for pelagic fish like herrings, sardines,
sardinellas, anchovies, mackerels, and tunas
FISHING GEAR MATERIALS
AND FABRICATIONS
fi

1.FISHING ROD AND REEL

They are slender poles that made of flexible but durable

material—typically fiberglass or graphite—to allow you to
cast your fishing line further and deeper into the water. They
can be classified by their strength (power), responsiveness,
action (bending capability), and taper.
As for your fishing reel, this is attached to your rod to
help you wind your line and draw in your catch. They are
lightweight, affordable, and easy to manage. Spinning reels
are quite versatile since they are good for fishing from the
shore, at a pier, or while on a boat.
2. FISHING LINE

You already know that you will need a fishing line. In fact,
your new reel might already come with a roll or two but
remember to always bring extras. It is normal for fishing
lines to get tangled up or break, whether it is because it got
caught on logs or bitten by a particularly strong game fish.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF FISHING LINE

Monofilament fishing line, or “mono” is the

most basic and most common fishing line out
there. Made from nylon extruded in a single,
continuous filament and left untwisted,
monofilament fishing line is a good all-
around line that is smooth and a bit stretchy.
When fishing on a lake, lighter and more
sensitive line is ideal, as casting is a more
active style of fishing, and the targeted
species are smaller.
Braided fishing line, also made of
synthetic plastic fibers such as nylon or
more specialty materials. It is stronger
than monofilament line and is therefore
more common for fishing larger species.
Braided fishing line is best used during
saltwater game fishing, such as offshore
trolling of marlin, large tuna, sharks, and
large kingfisher.
Like monofilament, fluorocarbon fishing line
is also extruded in a single strand similar, but
fluorocarbon molecules are more tightly
packed, so the line is denser and noticeably
heavier by size than nylon. Because it sinks
easily, this type of fishing line is great for
bottom fishing, such as jigging or bottom
bouncing. Also, because it has a bit of stretch
but not too much, it is suitable for trolling.
3. HOOK Aside from lines, you will need to
stock up on an assortment of fishhooks to catch
fish of varied sizes. These hooks used to catch
fish by poking them in the mouth when they
come in for a nibble, although in other cases they
end up getting caught in the fish’s body.

4.BAIT is what you attach to the end of your

line to attract the fish. The best option is usually
live bait. Then again, types of fish are attracted
to types of food. You should be all set with either
of the two most common and effective live bait:
worms and minnows (small freshwater fish).
5. LURES
Fishing lures are artificial baits that are designed to
mimic real fish to get the attention of a predator.
Fishers have these stored in their tackle box in case
they have run out of live bait or simply prefer to use
plastic, non-moving ones.

6. BOBBERS
Also known as floaters, bobbers help keep your bait
closer to the surface and let you know when a fish has
taken interest in your bait. You will see the bobber
sink when a fish bites the bait, and this will be your
signal to reel your catch in.
7. SINKERS
For every line you cast, you will need to attach one so
your line will stabilize as your lightweight hook and
bait sinks deeper. Make sure you have extras on hand
as you will lose them at point during particularly long
fishing sessions.

8. SWIVELS
A swivel can serve as the connecting tool between
your line and bait and allows the latter to spin and
move freely (as in the case of live bait) without
affecting your line. The swivel itself has a loop on
each end, but you can include a snap to help save time
and effort in attaching different lures, baits, and lines.
1O. NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS
A swivel can serve as the connecting tool between
your line and bait and allows the latter to spin and
move freely (as in the case of live bait) without
affecting your line. The swivel itself has a loop on
each end, but you can include a snap to help save time
and effort in attaching different lures, baits, and lines.

11. LINE CUTTER

A swivel can serve as the connecting tool between
your line and bait and allows the latter to spin and
move freely (as in the case of live bait) without
affecting your line. The swivel itself has a loop on
each end, but you can include a snap to help save time
and effort in attaching different lures, baits, and lines.
12. SUNGLASSES
When fishing in bright daylight, it can
sometimes be difficult to see where the fish are
as the sun can create a glare on the water’s
surface. Make sure to bring a good pair of
sunglasses.

13. FIRST AID IT

We all hope for safe and fun fishing adventures, but
accidents do happen. And in case of minor injuries,
you will need to have a handy first aid kit with you.
Assemble a small pack with band-aids, small
bandages, waterproof medical tape, and antibacterial
ointment for when you get scraped up or poked by a
hook.
14. SUNSCREEN
Speaking of safety, one last thing you
absolutely should not forget is extra protection
for your skin. Even if you are well-covered by
clothing, slather, or spray on a sun-protectant
formula if you are going to be fishing out in the
sun all day,

15. TACKLE BOX

This is where you will be storing your new
hooks, sinkers, lures, pliers, and all your other
small tools. It will not only help you transport
your gear, but it will also keep everything
organized.
FISH FABRICATION
Using the right tools will help to achieve high quality and better yields. Sharpen knives
regularly and use a sharpening steel often during the fabrication process. Fish require precise
clean cuts, and a dull knife can easily tear the flesh and diminish the quality, leading to lower
yields. A flexible filleting knife is an all-purpose utility knife that is useful when fabricating
fish. Kitchen shears are handy for removing fins. Needle-nose pliers and tweezers are useful
for removing pin bones from fillets.
 FISH FABRICATION STEPS

Always sanitize the area before and after processing fish.

Scale and gut the fish if needed.
Trim fins with a kitchen shears
Remove the head by cutting through the fillet just behind the gills to the spine.
Repeat the step on the opposite side and twist or cut off the head to finish. Proceed with filleting or
crosscut into steaks. Remove pin bones from the fillets with a needle nose plier.
Trim excess fat and skin the fillets if desired. Remove the bloodline which can have an unpleasant
taste.
Rinse in a mild saltwater solution.
Portion as desired
Behavior of Fish towards Fishing Gears
Throughout history, human hunters for fish have made use of their knowledge of
fish behavior in order to make catches. There are more than 22000 unusual species
of teleost fishes, each with its own characteristic world of reaction and behavior,
so that appropriate fish capture systems have been invented. Outlines of our
knowledge of the sensory ability and behavior of fishes have been summarized in
the earlier chapters of this book. Fish behavior is involved in catching fish, both on
the oceanic scale, where the annual cycles of maturity cause migrations so that
fish are found in different locations that become known to the fisherman by
observation of their availability, and on a smaller scale, where the reactions of a
fish to each part of an approaching trawl can cause the fish to swim into the coded.
To be successful, the fisher must have local knowledge of the day-to-day
movements of the fish and of their distribution. In all fisheries, one of the most
important of the
fisherman’s skills are to use the appropriate gear at the right time in the right place.
A major conclusion was that much of the research on behavior relevant to
fish catchability is being driven by managers’ requests, which often
constrain the type of experiments that are conducted. Nevertheless, in the
face of declining stocks and declining resources to conduct long-term
studies, researchers need to extract more from their experiments by
developing hypotheses that focus on process-orientated research and
incorporate this information into their analyses of fish behavior. A
behavioral ecology framework could improve efficiency of interna-tonal
integration and coordination of the field and laboratory experiments in
behavior studies, and facilitate a more systematic approach to problem-
solving behavior issues as well as specific management requests
Types of fishing Gears

BEAM TRAWLING

• What is beam trawling?

Beam trawling is the one of the most destructive forms of bottom
trawling, in which a large net attached to a heavy metal beam is dragged
across the seabed behind a boat, digging into and ploughing up the
ground.

The beam, which can be up to 12m long,

keeps the net open horizontally while metal
frames at each end keep it open vertically.

The target species are usually shrimp or bottom dwelling flat fish such
as plaice and sole.
BEAM TRAWL
Mouth or opening of the net is kept open by a beam which is mounted at each end on guides or skids which travel along the
seabed.\

Demersal (or bottom) otter trawl

This is a large, usually cone-shaped net, which is towed across the seabed.
The forward part of the net - the 'wings'
is kept open laterally by otter boards or doors.
• Fish are herded between the boards and along the spreader wires or sweeps, into the mouth of the trawl where they swim
until exhausted.
Depending on the depth of water fished and the way in which the gear is constructed and rigged, trawling may be used to
catch unusual species.
Trawls can be towed by one vessel using otter boards, as in bottom-trawling, or by two vessels, each towing one warp, as in
pair-trawling.
Or more than one trawl can be towed simultaneously as in multi-rig trawling.
MULTI RIGS
• Multi-rigs are used widely for the capture of penaeid shrimps
in tropical waters and more recently for Nephrons
(langoustines or Dublin Bay prawns) and deep-water prawns in
temperate waters.

• The speed at which the net is towed is important, varying

with the swimming speed of the target species from about 1.5
to 5 knots for fast swimming fish.
DIVE CAUGHT

Free diving (using mask and snorkel) or scuba diving is

a traditional method of collecting lobster, abalone,
seaweed, sponges, and reef dwelling fish (groupers
and snappers).
Dredging
• Dredging is used for bivalve mollusks such as oysters, clams,
and scallops from the seabed.

A dredge is a metal framed basket with a bottom of connected iron

rings or wire netting called a chain belly.

The lower edge of the frame has a raking bar, with or without teeth,
depending upon the species targeted.

The catch is lifted off the seabed or out of the sea by the raking (or
teeth) bar and passes back into the basket or bag .
Drift net
are not set or fixed in any way,
are in fact 'mobile
are allowed to drift with the prevailing currents.
used on the high seas for the capture of a wide
range of fish including tuna, squid and shark,
and off north-east England for salmon.
Fish farming

Aquaculture is a term used to describe the farming of marine and freshwater

organisms.
• Mariculture only refers to the farming of
marine organisms; it can be further defined
as.
open mariculture where organisms are farmed in a natural environment, such as
mussels, and
closed mariculture where organisms are farmed
in closed environments as used for finfish such
as halibut.
Gill or Fixed nets
Gill nets are walls of netting which may be set at or below
the surface, on the seabed, or at any depth in between.

Gill netting is the oldest form of net fishing, having been in

use for thousands of years.
Tangle nets
Tangle nets resemble gill nets but are

slacker, shorter and have less flotation.

• This results in a looser-hung net that

entangles species rather than gilling
them.
Trammel nets
• Trammel nets are a wall of net divided
into three layers. An inner fine-meshed net is sandwiched between two
outer, larger meshed nets.

The net is anchored at the base and floated by the headline, allowing it to
hang vertically.

The inner net is looser than the outer ones, ensuring that the fish become
entangled within it
Hand line
Fishing with lines and hooks is one of the

oldest fishing methods.

They may be used from a stationary or moving boat.

• The catch is of extremely high quality as

the fish is usually live when brought aboard.
Handlining is also a highly selective
fishery in terms of species and size.
Handlining is used to catch cod and other demersal species and pelagic species such as mackerel, squid, and
tuna. In tropical waters handlines are used to
catch groupers and snappers
• Because hauling is slow, mechanized (electrical or hydraulic) systems have been developed to allow more lines to be
worked by a smaller crew.