Fishing and Gear Technology

10.5. Commercial fishing methods

Unit 10- Maintenance and storage of gears

10.5.Commercial fishing methods
A wide array of fishing gears and practices ranging from small-scale artisanal to large-scale industrial systems are used for fish capture. Over the years, traditional fishing gears have been upgraded and newer more efficient fishing systems have been introduced. Most important among these fishing gears are trawls, purse seines, lines, gillnets and entangling nets and traps. Among the most significant developments which affected the historical evolution of fishing gear and practices are (i) developments in craft technology and mechanization of propulsion, gear and catch handling (ii) introduction of synthetic gear materials (iii) developments in acoustic fish detection and satellite-based remote sensing techniques (iv) advances in electronic navigation and position fixing equipment (v) awareness of the need for responsible fishing to ensure sustainability of the resources, protection of the biodiversity and environmental safety and energy efficiency.

The fundamental objective of responsible fishing is to maximize economic returns to the fisherman without affecting the long-term sustainability of the fisheries resource and with minimum impact on the ecosystem. Most fishery resources are considered to be exploited at levels close to or beyond their sustainable limits. Fossil fuels used for vessel propulsion and gear handling in active fishing systems is known to be non-renewable and limited. In recent years, increasing emphasis has been placed on adopting responsible fishing practices which seek to minimize waste by reducing the level of discards, optimize energy use and protect the environment from negative impacts.