drift net
Quick Summary
A drift net is a fishing net, often extending for miles, that is set to drift with the tide or current. It is typically buoyed by floats and may be attached to a boat.1
Nets, in general, are open fabrics with meshed intersections, primarily used for fishing. Historically, nets were made from perishable materials like plant fibers and animal tissues. Modern nets are often machine-made from synthetic fibers such as nylon and polyester, which are rotproof, unlike older vegetable fiber nets that required treatment against rot.2
Drift nets, including gill nets and trammel nets, are used to catch fish by entangling them. In commercial fishing, a long fleet of drift nets, potentially miles in length, is suspended vertically with floats at the top and weights at the bottom. These nets are deployed at sunset and drift overnight. A fish attempting to swim through a gill net can become entangled by its gill cover. Drift nets are particularly important for catching pelagic (open-sea) fish like herring.23
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netā¦net used for fishing are drift nets, surrounding (encircling, or encompassing) nets, and trap nets. Drift netsāwhich include gill and trammel nets used at the surface and bottom-set nets used on the seabedācapture fish by entangling them. Gill and trammel nets are used principally to catch herring and salmon andā¦
Read Moreā¦net used for fishing are drift nets, surrounding (encircling, or encompassing) nets, and trap nets. Drift netsāwhich include gill and trammel nets used at the surface and bottom-set nets used on the seabedācapture fish by entangling them. Gill and trammel nets are used principally to catch herring and salmon andā¦
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commercial fishingGill nets and drift netsDrift nets are widely used to catch pelagic sea fishes. In northern Europe, before the introduction of trawling, drift nets were the most important method of deep-sea fishery. In the old herring fishery of northwestern Europe, drifters commonly set more than 100 nets, each aboutā¦
Read MoreDrift nets are widely used to catch pelagic sea fishes. In northern Europe, before the introduction of trawling, drift nets were the most important method of deep-sea fishery. In the old herring fishery of northwestern Europe, drifters commonly set more than 100 nets, each aboutā¦
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