Fishing Methods
There are a wide variety of fishing methods used. Each has it own environment impact that varies on intensity. The table below highlights a fishing method along with its environmental repercussions.
| Method | Equipment uses | Type of fish | Environmental Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pole/troll | Fishing rod/pole and bait | Open ocean swimmers to bottom dwellers | Low environmental impact. Reduced chance of bycatch |
| Purse seining | A large net is used to surround fish. The bottom of the net is pulled close to push the fish to the middle | Schooling fish | Higher chance of bycatch |
| Gillnetting | Uses a system of nets with floats and weights. The nets are anchored to the sea floor and allowed to float at the surface | Sardines, salmon, cod | Animals cannot see the net therefore, they swim into it and are tangled. Huge risk of bycatch. |
| Longline fishing | Fishing line cast out from the boat. Can range from one mile to 50 miles. | Pelagic fish | Higher risk of bycatch. Fisherman use weights to sink their lines, which reduce the risk of bycatch. |
| Traps and pots | Wire or wooden cages attached to the sea floor; fishing weirs | Lobsters, crab, shrimp | The traps keep the fish alive. Lower chance of bycatch. |
| Trolling | Line towed behind the boat | Salmon, mahi-mahi, tuna | Release bycatch |
| Harpooning | Harpoon | Large pelagic fish | Fisherman have to visualize prey. No chance of bycatch. |
| Trawls and dredges | Use huge nets that can either drag on the bottom of the sea floor or in the middle of the surface or the floor. | Pollock, cod, flounder, shrimp | Large number of bycatch. Can damage the sea floor. |
Read more about this topic: Sustainable Seafood
Famous quotes containing the words fishing and/or methods:
“Fly fishing may be a very pleasant amusement; but angling or float fishing I can only compare to a stick and a string, with a worm at one end and a fool at the other.”
—Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)
“If men got pregnant, there would be safe, reliable methods of birth control. They’d be inexpensive, too.”
—Anna Quindlen (b. 1952)