Fishing methods

The methods and fishing gear used to catch fish are a determining factor of sustainability as they can impact upon marine life and habitats. Over the past 50 years fishing technology has advanced greatly, increasing the capacity for boats to locate and catch fish. In this time there have also been advances to reduce the environmental impact of fishing, yet there is room for further improvement and research and development is ongoing

Fishing methods vary in different locations and cultures and the precise impacts of each method are dependent on the robustness of the management and techniques used on individual boats. The main commercial capture methods are described here to help you broadly understand the ways in which fish are caught and their environmental impacts.

This content was supplied by Good Catch who we work with on a variety of projects to spread the message regarding sustainable sourcing.

Purse seines

Purse seines are large, vertically floating nets (made of monofilament or plastic) which boats use to surround shoals of fish they have identified on a fish finding sonar. Each net can be up to one mile long.

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Demersal trawling

In demersal trawl fisheries, a funnel-shaped net is towed behind either one (single trawl) or two (pair–trawl) boats.

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Pelagic/mid-water trawling

Fish that live in the upper water column of the ocean are targeted by pelagic/ mid-water trawls.

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Dredging

Dredging on the seabed for shellfish uses metal-framed baskets instead of nets.

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Drift, gill and set nets (passive)

Passive nets are not actively towed by boats; they are either placed to drift on the prevailing currents (drift netting), hung from buoys which keep them suspended between the surface and the seabed (gill nets), or staked to the seabed (set nets).

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