How To Make A Fishing Net
Binding fishing nets are a traditional craft that’s been done for many years, especially during the stone age period, as they often appear in well-documented antiquity in rock carvings. Fishing nets have not evolved, especially the process is done the very same way as it was before.
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Even though fish netting can be beneficial to humans, still we can’t help but agree that it has its disadvantages too, as it can create such destruction underwater.
All you’ll need is the essentials for you to get started, which is a shuttle or the binding needle and the gauge.
Type Of Nets
Before proceeding with the discussion on how to set up a fishing net, you need to know what type of nets are you doing and what kind of fish are you intending to catch. Making nets also considered to which places are you going to use it.
Also, consider all the laws implemented by the international council and your country’s government about fish netting.
Bottom Trawls
Bottom trawling is trawling along the seafloor, intended to catch demersal fish or fish that live near the bottom of the lake or ocean. A trawl is the largest network in a conical shape.
It’s being pulled through the waters by big ships, called trawlers. According to the UN Millennium Project in 2005, bottom trawling harmed the seafloor because it can remove at least 25% of the seabed life.
Cash Nets
Cash Nets are meant for schooling (collective kind of fish that goes together socially) and other small fish. Cast nets are round nets that have weights on the sides.
These are usually thrown in the shallow waters by hand. Using this type of net, there are possibilities that even non-targeted fish can be caught.
Coracle Net Fishing
Coracle Net Fishing is another kind of fishing net that is done by two people. Both of them are seated to each coracle and holding one large net from both ends.
When the fish is caught, each will haul the nets until fish is secured into the nets. Coracles are largely seen in the West Wales and River Server in Shropshire.
Drift Net
The drift net is also one of the most common types of nets. This one is not anchored or attached with weights, but rather it is casually thrown into the waters. Although this kind of method is already prohibited in many countries, yet still it is used by many because of its efficiency in catching, many are still trying anyhow.
Drive-in Net
A Drive-in Net is commonly used in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly in Japan and the Philippines. It is used to catch schooling and forage fish, such as tina and other reef fish.
It looks like a combination of dustpan-looking and trawls nets. The fishermen will have to wait until the school fish swims into their nets. The Pacific Ocean, being rich in aquatic wonders, have many schools all over the area since most fish are migrating to this area around the winter season.
How To Set Up A Fishing Net
As mentioned above, you have to prepare the essentials so that you can make a fishing net. First, you have to choose your string or twine and think about the fish you want to catch.
Also, note that the size of the nets can also affect the strength and durability of the net. The most recommended material to use for the net is the bonded nylon string because it delivers great strength and endurance compared to other materials. If you don’t have any, then you can practice first using any string.
Prepare the shuttle and the gauge. The width of the gauge will tell the size of the finished net while the shuttle will be treated like a needle where you’ll be weaving the net. The shuttle needs to smaller than the gauge so it can pass through the holes.
Lastly, you have got a large table to lay flat your net. Although it may not be necessary it will be more convenient if you’ll nail the finished net at the edge of the table.
The Making Of The Fishing Nets
The first thing that you have to do is to wrap the twine around the shuttle that you will be using for the net. If you run out of twine, then tie the end of another twine.
To start with, lay flat the shuttle in your hand and lay then twine’s end flat along the top. Take the twine and loop around the center peg. Lay the string down and run down the shuttle and flip it to the other side. Loop the piece again around the center peg and repeat the whole process.
Hold down the yarn to the shuttle using your thumb and throw the loop on your thumb and the green loop. You can now tighten the knot by pulling the shuttle. Never release your thumb’s pressure on the yarn.
The loops that are about to make needs to be closer to the width of the gauge can pass through it. The overhand knot if made when you make a loop and pass the line’s end through the loop and you have to pull both ends to tighten the knot.
The next thing that you’re going to do is to slide up the gauge underneath the string on the loop, and then push up the gauge so that the knot can touch the top edge of the gauge.
When you hold the string with your thumb, you can use the other hand opposite for the shuttle. At this point, when you have tightened the string around the gauge, you have to make evenly-sized net squares until the finish. The steps were just repetitive from the first step.
Finishing The Net
Replace the gauge after you repeat the steps. Slide the gauge back under the single string and then slide another shuttle through the loops that you have formed. Then, pull the knot and the gauge tight and bring the shuttle upward through the loop.
Bring the shuttle under and over the loops again and tighten each string around the gauge while you create another knot. Make sure that the knots you are making are tighter as it can be.
Once the shuttle is under and over the loop, then you pull the shuttle back to the right and pull another through the loop underneath to create another knot. Next is to loop the shuttle through the second loop until formed into a V-shape.
Once V-shaped, you can continue to add the knots to the gauge edge so you can strengthen the net. Repeat the same process.
Once you’ve removed the gauge, then you shall see the first square of the net. Again, repeating the steps is necessary until you complete the whole fishing net. For the last step, you can complete the net and attach either a wooden frame or a weight.
Suggested Fishing Net
Nylon Monofilament Gill Net
Nylon Monofilament Gill Net is made of brand new and high-quality materials of qualified, durable nylon materials. This is considered as one of the most favorite fishing gears for most fishing enthusiasts.
There are two purposes this fishing nets to use. The first one is 2-finger mesh best for catching catfish while the 3-finger mesh is best for crucian. This is suitable to use in static, slow water under a floater.
Night Cat Completed Finished Trammel Fishing Net
Another recommended fishing net in the market is Trammel Fishing Net which is made of a top-quality nylon monofilament netting, a material commonly as one of the most durable and strongest types of nylon.
It has lead sinkers that can be stitched to the bottom line and unbreakable PVC floats. This fishing net specializes in catching largemouth bass.
Goture Professional Saltwater Fishing Net
With a radius of 7′ and 3/7″ half mesh, it is handmade of Copolymer monofilament mesh. This is made specifically in catching 3-6″ species such as Shad and Threadfins.
For this one, you have to a parabola when the net is being thrown, then the lead formed a circular casting net. Also, pull the extension cord when you close the net. Until then, the fish will be trapped.
Implication Of Fishing Nets In The Environment
In Nigeria, where the usage of fishing nets is most rampant and they are infamous for having a large number of catfish, it has been the center of some research centers for overlooking fishing classification.
In this country, though populated with commercial fish, proteins are being overemphasized because more than a highly unusual rate of 40% of the protein is being consumed by a single Nigerian, which comes from the fish.
Fishing nets produce acute impacts and result in the physical substratum of the seafloor, especially trawling, because it may disrupt and overturn boulders and imprint deep scars on the muddy bottoms.
There are also issues that some fishnet methods create such long-lasting effects on the coral reefs, thus, resulting in the government to ban some fishing net methods, or at least put a certain limit into its usage.
In the 2006 report of the Secretary-General of the United Nation, it is said that the damage made by the nets in the ocean floor rose to 95% and significant 600 meters is damaged underwater.
Restrictions And Reports For Fishing Nets
Many countries are under restriction due to the excess use of fishing nets and over abuse of the world under the waters. In 2018, the US Regional Fishery Management Councils limit the number of trawling and nets in some protected areas.
For example, the US West Coast made prohibitions of trawling between 450 to 900 feet to protect rockfish, which at that time was overfished.
In Hong Kong, there was a nationwide ban on trawling effective December 2012 to make a huge effort to restore the marine ecosystem. People who were caught doing these prohibitions will be imprisoned under the Fisheries Protection Ordinance.
New Zealand and Australia were perhaps the earliest countries to notice overfishing and established their laws against the wide use of fishing nets and trawling.
In 2006, Jim Anderton promised to support permanent global banishment of bottom trawling. As of today’s date, 1/3 of New Zealand’s’ waters have not allowed the bottom trawling.
Palau President Tommy Remengesau joined the Federated States of Micronesia in supporting the interim ban on bottom trawling. This proposal, however, was blocked.
The Use Of Ghost Nets
Another controversial use of nets is the ghost nets that have been lost in the ocean by fishermen. These nets are mostly tangled to some endangered species like turtles, dolphins, and crocodiles. Some fishermen use gillnets which are almost invisible in the dim light.
The French Government already made a reward for those who handed ghost nets to coastguards somewhere around the 1980s. However, this whole project was soon eliminated because many people were taking advantage of claiming rewards even without retrieving ghost nets.
Conclusion
There are many ways to catch collective fish and fishing nets are best known in it. In the sardine industry, they are using fishing nets to collect thousands of sardine fish and sell it commercially.
The fishing net is good because it can bring convenience to the fishermen’s livelihood but they also have to be aware and cautious of the laws about overfishing. There should be certain limitations that they have to know and followed because that’s mandated in the law.
To be able to fish is more than a privilege that nature can give but we also have to be mindful of the things that nature is giving us. We have to avoid overfishing and any methods that can destroy and demolish life below.
We have a responsibility to do so because they too, sustained us with our daily needs and nutrition.
For now, the best thing we can do is to give utmost respect to the law of nature because they can give us twice what we need if we know how to take care of them.
