Category The World Around us

Shellfish such as crabs and lobsters are caught using baskets or netting pots. These baskets or pots sit on the seabed, with their position marked on the surface by a floating buoy. The opening of the basket or pot is designed so that the fish can get inside easily but cannot get out.

Pots and traps are generally rigid structures into which fish or shellfish are guided or enticed through funnels that make entry easy but from which escape is difficult.  There are many different styles and designs; each one has been designed to suit the behaviour of its target species. Many designs have evolved over many years to suit the coastline and seabed where it is used only changing to make use of modern materials.

In certain circumstances there may well be instances of Ghost fishing of lost pots and traps but this can be minimized by using appropriate gear and release devices.  One of the main causes of gear losses is the interaction of mobile gear with static gear. Nowadays the instances of this should be fewer due to the improvements in communication between different commercial fishing sectors and the ability to accurately monitor gear placement using GPS systems.

By-catch is minimal and usually confined to small animals of the target species. This can be minimized by the use of appropriate mesh sizes in the cover netting and the use of relevant escape gaps.  Any by-catch in the pots can be easily removed from the trap and released back into the sea immediately without harm.

Seabed impact with pots and traps is limited to light contact of the traps and minimal penetration of the seabed from the small anchors or weights that are used at the ends of the fleets of some gears. There may be some movement of the gear and the ropes on the seabed particularly in poor weather but this will not have much effect on the seabed.

Traps, in various forms of cages or baskets, have been used throughout the world for thousands of years to catch a wide variety of fish and shellfish. The basic design has not changed much over the years; the major changes have been in the materials that are used to make the gear. Early gear would have been made with wicker or willow, woven into a basket-form with a tapered entrance in the top, and stones inside to weight them down on the seabed. Nowadays, the pots and traps are made, along similar lines to the old wicker ones, but using modern materials such as wood, steel, plastic, etc. for the frame; this being covered with nylon and polyethylene netting.

Modern pots and traps tend to differ in shape, size and construction materials according to the behaviour of the target species, and local fishing practices. However, they will all be similar in that they will have at least one tapered entrance that makes it easy for the shellfish to enter, but very difficult for them to find their way out again. There is a big variation in the names of the different traps in different fisheries, with them being referred to most commonly as pots, creels, traps — but there will be numerous different local names for the different styles of pot. The pots are baited, usually with some type of fish. As with the pot construction, the choice of bait varies greatly with the locality and the target species, with some baits proving much more suitable for certain species than others. Despite this, it often comes down to what type of bait is readily available, and at a reasonable price.

Picture Credit : Google

The areas of seas and oceans where most fish are caught are called fishing grounds. Most of the world’s fishing grounds are found above the continental shelf — relatively shallow areas around the coastlines of the world. Fish are attracted to these areas because ocean currents create feeding grounds there.

If you’re anything like us here at Fusion, you can’t wait for the holidays to come so you can brush the dust off the boat and take her out for a fish.

Over the years, we’ve curated a list of what we think the best few fishing spots around the world are. Hopefully you get a chance to check one or two of them out next time you hit the water!

Cairns, Australia

Famous for its Great Barrier Reef, the coast off Eastern Australia is also the world’s best marlin fishing spot. These 750kg+ monsters inhabit the coastline between Cairns and Lizard Island, terrorizing anglers with their dashes of up to 130km/h. For those brave enough to take on the challenge, you’ll want to head there between early September and late December. The sun will be out, the water will be warm, and you’ll be among good company—more marlins are caught in this 250km stretch than anywhere else in the world combined!

Key West, Florida

If you’re looking for a great fishing spot, and a community absolutely obsessed with fishing, then look no further than Key West in Florida. Not only is this the gateway to the Dry Tortugas, renowned for their fishing, but the town has everything an angler could need. From seafood restaurants, through to great moorage and accommodation, you’ll be well catered for as you explore the sparkling blue waters and reefs amidst some of the world’s best fishing grounds. Thanks to the weather, any time of the year you’ll find good fishing at Key West, so head on out next time you get a few spare days.

Azores, Portugal

For those chasing fame and glory in their fishing exploits, you’re going to want to head over to the Azores archipelago off the coast of Portugal. No less than 22 world records are currently held for different species of catches made here—that’s right, the fish are big, and they bite! You’ll find all the classic game fish, as well as mako sharks and even the occasional whale sighting. If landing big catches in the shelter of stunning volcanic scenery sounds like your cup of tea, then Azores needs to be your next fishing destination.

Orkney Islands, Scotland

Europe’s playground. That’s what the Orkney Islands are known for, and with good reason: The absolute abundance of fish species makes fishing these waters an incredible time for anglers. What makes this Scottish spot unique is its intersection with nearby lochs and rivers, meaning you’re likely to catch all the usual salt water fish, alongside salmon, trout, bass and hake. Adding to that, the whole place has a surreal ancient vibe about it—mysterious stones and craggy cliffs give off a Viking feel, making the Orkneys an unmissable experience.

Prince Edward Island, Canada

Another spot known for its big game fishing and world records is Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia in Canada. 40 years ago, the world’s largest bluefin tuna was landed in this spot, weighing in at a whopping 1,496 pounds. That’s literally like catching a horse! Besides ginormous fish, what makes Prince Edward Island great is the proximity of its fishing to shore. Usually you’ll find great spots less than a mile off the coast, which means half-day trips are much more sustainable. Get in some quality fishing, but also relax and enjoy your time in Canada—what more could a man want?

Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand

If it’s beach, sun, relaxed-vibes and fishing that you’re after, then nothing beats the good old Coromandel in New Zealand. There’s a reason why Kiwis flock to this spot in the summer holidays—it’s white sandy beaches are great for the family to relax on, while Dad and his mates go out to fish around the mussel barges. You’ll find a real range of fishing options here too—from handlining for sprats off the rocks, to snapping up snapper a few hundred yards of the shore, through to big game fishing for kingfish and marlin further out. Take the boat out anywhere in the Coromandel, and you’re sure to come back relaxed, and full of fish.

Picture Credit : Google

Fishing is a very important global industry, but it can only exist as long as there are fish to catch. In some parts of the World, stocks of fish have decreased dramatically, due in part to modern fishing methods. As demand for fish has increased, so greater numbers of boats have fished the same areas. Technology has also made locating fish easier. Using nets too fine to allow small fish to escape has decreased the numbers of younger fish, which affects breeding and future stocks. While it is unlikely that stocks of fish will run out completely, many countries place strict controls on fishing, in an attempt to limit the damage.

It has been some time since most humans lived as hunter-gatherers – with one important exception. Fish are the last wild animal that we hunt in large numbers. And yet, we may be the last generation to do so.

Entire species of marine life will never be seen in the Anthropocene (the Age of Man), let alone tasted, if we do not curb our insatiable voracity for fish. Last year, global fish consumption hit a record high of 17 kg (37 pounds) per person per year, even though global fish stocks have continued to decline. On average, people eat four times as much fish now than they did in 1950.

Around 85% of global fish stocks are over-exploited, depleted, fully exploited or in recovery from exploitation. Only this week, a report suggested there may be fewer than 100 cod over the age of 13 years in the North Sea between the United Kingdom and Scandinavia. The figure is still under dispute, but it’s a worrying sign that we could be losing fish old enough to create offspring that replenish populations.

Large areas of seabed in the Mediterranean and North Sea now resemble a desert – the seas have been expunged of fish using increasingly efficient methods such as bottom trawling. And now, these heavily subsidised industrial fleets are cleaning up tropical oceans too. One-quarter of the EU catch is now made outside European waters, much of it in previously rich West African seas, where each trawler can scoop up hundreds of thousands of kilos of fish in a day. All West African fisheries are now over-exploited, coastal fisheries have declined 50% in the past 30 years, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation.

Catches in the tropics are expected to decline a further 40% by 2050, and yet some 400 million people in Africa and Southeast Asia rely on fish caught (mainly through artisanal fishing) to provide their protein and minerals. With climate change expected to impact agricultural production, people are going to rely more than ever on fish for their nutritional needs.

The policy of subsidising vast fishing fleets to catch ever-diminishing stocks is unsustainable. In Spain, for example, one in three fish landed is paid for by subsidy. Governments, concerned with keeping jobs alive in the fishing industry in the short-term, are essentially paying people to extinguish their own long-term job prospects – not to mention the effect on the next generation of fishermen. Artisanal fishing catches half the world’s fish, yet it provides90% of the sector’s jobs.

Picture Credit : Google

The fishing industry uses several different methods to catch large numbers of fish. They mostly involve the use of nets. Trawling uses a cone-shaped net towed behind the fishing boat (known as a trawler). Purse-seining involves surrounding a school (group) of fish with a net and drawing the net lines together. Drift nets may be as long as 95km (60 miles). Left to drift in the water, they can catch many millions of fish at once.

Fishermen use a wide range of gear to land their catch. Every type has its own effects on the ocean. By selecting the right gear for the right job, the fishing industry can help minimize its impact on the environment.

Here are some methods and types of fishing, some more, some less popular:

Noodling is fishing with hands practiced in South of the United States. Fishermen catch catfish by sticking hand into a catfish whole where this fish lives.

Flounder tramping is a method of fishing practiced in Scottish village of Palnackie on every August. People compete in catching the flounder (which is a species of flatfish) by stamping on them.

Spearfishing is fishing with ordinary spears or with their variants like harpoons, tridents, arrows, Hawaiian slings, and superguns.

Netting is method of fishing which uses fishing nets. There are many types of nets for different uses and different fish. Cast net (or throw net) is a smaller round net with weights on it edges. Gillnet is placed in water vertically (using combination of weights and floats) and catches fish which try to pass through it. Trawl net is large, conical a dragged by ship.

Dredges

Dredges are metal-framed baskets that are dragged across the seafloor to collect clams, cockles, mussels, oysters, scallops and sea cucumbers. Towed dredges scrape or dig into the substrate with rakes or teeth to about a foot in depth. Mechanized dredges are used to dig and wash out mussels that have buried into the seabed. There are also hand-held dredges. This fishing method can have significant impacts on sensitive seafloor habitat and bottom-dwelling species. One way to limit these harmful effects is to limit the areas where dredging can occur.

Gillnets

Gillnets are walls of stationary or drifting netting that are almost invisible to fish, so species like cod, perch, salmon, sardines and trout swim right into them. Set, drift and trammel gillnet use different configurations of floats and weights to suspend the netting more or less vertically. Encircling gillnets are set in shallow waters, and noise or another means is used to entangle the fish in the netting. Fix gillnets are stretched between two or more stakes that are driven into the seabed in the intertidal zone. Gillnets can accidentally catch vulnerable ocean animals like sea turtles, marine mammals and sharks. These impacts can be reduced by setting the gillnets deeper in the water column to allow room for animals to swim over and adding gear like pingers, which warn passing marine mammals.

Pole-and-Lines

Pole-and-lines are poles with a single line, hook and bait that are used to catch a variety of fish ranging from open-ocean swimmers like tuna to bottom-dwellers like cod. They can be hand-operated or mechanized when operating in deep waters. Pole-and-line gears have very low catch of unwanted marine life because fishermen catch one fish at a time and they can release unwanted species.

Picture Credit : Google

A combine harvester is an important machine on a modern grain farm. It allows a very large amount of grain to be harvested very quickly. A combine harvester is so called because it does both of the processes involved in harvesting the grain — cutting the crop and separating the grain from the plant. Before the combine harvester, one or both of these jobs was done by hand or by two separate machines.

The crops we grow in our fields, such as wheat, barley, and rye, are only partly edible. We can use the seeds at the top of each plant (known as the grain) to make products like bread and cereal, but the rest of the plant (the chaff) is inedible and has to be discarded. Before modern-day machines were developed, agricultural workers had to harvest crops by carrying out a series of laborious operations one after another. First they had to cut down the plants with a long-handled cutting tool such as a scythe. Next, they had to separate the edible grain from the inedible chaff by beating the cut stalks—an operation known as threshing. Finally, they had to clean any remaining debris away from the seeds to make them suitable for use in a mill. All this took a lot of time and a lot of people. Thankfully, modern combine harvesters do the whole job automatically: you simply drive them through a field of growing crops and they cut, thresh, and clean the grains all by themselves using rotating blades, wheels, sieves, and elevators. The grain collects in a tank inside the combine harvester (which is periodically emptied into tractors that drive alongside), while the chaff spurts from a big exit pipe at the back and falls back down onto the field.

The Parts Explained:

Header: Cereal crops are gathered in by the header at the front, which has a pair of sharp pincers called crop dividers at either end. Generally speaking, the wider the header, the faster and more efficiently a harvester can cut a field. Different headers are used for cutting different crops; the header is often hydraulically powered and can be raised, lowered, and angled in different ways from the cab. The header can be removed and towed behind the harvester lengthwise so it can fit down narrow farm lanes.

Reel: A slowly rotating wheel called the reel (or pickup reel) pushes the crops down toward the cutter. The reel has horizontal bars called bats and vertical teeth or tines to grip the plant stalks.

Cutter Bar: The cutter bar runs the entire length of the header underneath the reel. Its teeth (sometimes called mowing fingers) open and close repeatedly to cut off the crops at their base, a bit like a giant electric hedge cutter sweeping along at ground level.

Conveyor: Behind the cutter bar, the cut crops are fed toward the centre by spinning augurs (screws) and travel up a conveyor to the processing mechanism inside the main part of the combine.

Threshing Drum: A threshing drum beats the cut crops to break and shake the grains away from their stalks.

Grain Sieve: The grains fall through sieves into a collecting tank below.

Straw Walkers: The chaff (unwanted material) passes along conveyors called straw walkers toward the back of the machine. More grain falls through into the tank.

Unloaded: When the grain tank is full, a tractor with a trailer on the back pulls alongside the combine. The grain is carried up from the tank by an elevator (a series of augers) and shoots out of a side pipe (sometimes called the unloader) into the trailer.

Straw & Chaff Removed: The unwanted straw and chaff tumbles from the back of the machine. Some combines have a rotating spreader mechanism that throws the straw over a wide area. Usually, the straw is baled up by a baling machine and used for animal bedding.

Picture Credit : Google