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It’s a bit of a hit and miss affair
really! The net is static and the fish have got to swim into
it.
A wall of net of various size
is anchored to the sea bed and set at various heights from
the bottom to the surface depending on depth of net and fish
being targeted.
Primarily working inshore, with
vessels from 16ft+ with 1 - 3 crew, set netting is a fairly
efficient form of fishing.
It is a technique that has remained
unchanged for centuries - until natural fibres were replaced
by stronger synthetics - such as nylon and mono- filament.
Nets were set at varying depths; on the bottom - for fish
like plaice, sole, skate and - mid-water, for fish such as
cod, pollack and bass.
The introduction of mono-filament
(mid 70’s) increased catch rates because the net is invisible
to fish, hence their name ‘walls of death’. Nets
are usually placed in areas known to fishermen where fish
congregate in certain tides and tidal runs.
The net is usually made of two
layers so that the fish entangle themselves between the meshes.
Nets are usually set overnight or for a period of one or two
tides, whereupon they are hauled either by hand or net hauler
and the fish taken out of the nets. The nets are then straightened
out ready for re-setting.
This form of fishing is fairly
low expenditure and not highly labour intensive.
Different sizes of nets target
different types of fish.
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