Fishing and Gear Technology

Unit 2 - Fishing gear materials

2.1.Classification of fibres

Netting is defined as a meshed structure of indefinite shape and size composed of one or more yarns twisted or interlaced or joined. The basic material for the construction of fishing gear is composed of fibre. A fibre may be defined as a unit of matter of hair like structure/dimensions whose length is at least 200 times greater than its width.
Fishes are classified based on the sources from which they are obtained as natural fibres and manmade fibres. Natural materials are obtained either from plants i.e. vegetable fibres or from animals -animal fibers. Vegetable fibres have a cellulose base and are prone to rotting in water as they are attacked by cellulose digestive microorganisms. Vegetable fibres are obtained from different source of plant such as leaves, stalk, fruit and seeds. These fibres are further classified as seed fibre, fruit fibre, bast fibre and leaf fibres.

Seed fibre
Cotton fibres are the seed fibres derived from the cotton plant. Before the introduction of synthetic fibres, the cotton fibre was the most popular. They are extremely fine with a length of only 20-50 mm and a diameter of 0.01 to 0.04 mm. Being dull white colour and owing to their fineness, they were used in light and heavy fishing gear.

Bast fibres
Bast fibres extracted from the bast tissue of stems. Eg: Ramie fibre also called as china grass has a length of 8-25cm and diameter of 0.024-0.070 m.
Hemp is derived from the bast of the plant cannabis sativa.

Leaf fibre
Leaf fibres are hard fibres obtained from long leaves. Eg. Sisal, Manila
Sisal is from the leaves of sisal plant. It is 75-100 cm long and 0.01-0.03 mm dia. Manila is obtained from the Abaca plant. These fibres have large diameter compared to other natural fibres and hence it is used in heavy netting.

Fruit fibre
Coir is a fruit fibre obtained from the coconut husk. The fibre length varies from 15-25 cm and diameter 0.01-0.025 mm. This is mainly used for ropes.

Animal fibre
Animal fibres are composed of protein. Eg. Silk is a very costly fibre so it is used only for some specialized fishing gears