FISHING METHODS & GEAR TYPES
HOW OUR FISH & SHELLFISH ARE CAUGHT
Fish and shellfish are caught using a variety of methods and gear types. Some have a much lower environmental impact than others. For example, there is a big difference in the impact of large-scale industrial fishing, such as pelagic beam trawling on large trawlers, and the smaller-scale fishing carried out by Cornish day-boats using several different methods.
New Wave has a firm policy to buy only from fishermen who fish responsibly and sustainably and respect the marine environment. We buy from small day-boats and line-caught wherever possible. We avoid types of fishing that can result in a lot of ‘bycatch’ (unwanted catch of non-targeted species), overfishing, and disturbance to the seabed and other marine life. Below are the methods and gear types that are used by our fishermen.
LINE FISHING
There are several different methods of fishing that involve using lines and rods. They are generally low-impact methods, as the seabed remains untouched. Also, as the fish are landed onto the boat one at a time, if other species or undersized fish are accidentally caught, they are easy to spot and can be released alive back into the water.
HANDLINE (HOOK & LINE)
Practised for centuries by coastal communities, handline fishing uses a baited line with fishing hooks to catch fish and pulls in the line by hand, rather than using a rod or pole. All our premium-quality mackerel from Cornwall is caught this way, as is some of our sea bass, haddock and swordfish.
POLE & HANDLINE
A highly selective manual method, pole and handline fishing (shown here) involves using a pole with a short line and a barbless hook attached to catch fish. The fish are caught one at a time, reducing bycatch. Our tuna is caught this way
JIGGING
This is a highly targeted fishing method using jigs, which are a type of fishing lure. The fisherman attaches multiple jigs and hooks to a weighted line, which is dropped down to a specific depth. The jigging lines are kept moving constantly by jerking the lines, which attract the fish. Much of our squid is caught this way.
Netting
There are many variations of net fishing. We use the ones listed below, depending on the species. To minimise the risk of bycatch of non-target species and juveniles, responsible fishermen use modified nets with appropriately sized mesh.
FIXED NET
Dating back hundreds of years, this traditional fishing method involves placing nets in a specific location where certain fish are known to be, anchoring them in position, and waiting for the fish to swim into the net. There are several types of fixed net, including gill nets (below). Fixed nets are used to catch various fish species, including black sea bream, red mullet, monkfish and many flatfish.
GILL NET
As their name suggests, gill nets (shown here) are designed to catch fish by their gills. A wall of netting is lowered below the surface of the water. The mesh of the net is usually just large enough to allow the head of the target species through but not their body, thus trapping the fish in the net.
RING NET
Used in small or medium-sized vessels, ring netting is a relatively low-impact method of fishing to target mid-water shoaling species, mainly herring. They are encircling nets that are shot around a shoal or part of a shoal. A rope is then drawn together to close the net, like a drawstring purse, and trap the catch.
PURSE SEINE NET
Similar to ring nets, purse seine nets surround a school of fish and the net is then drawn together, trapping the fish. It is used to target dense schools of single-species fish such as sardines. Purse seine nets differ from ring nets in their construction and how they are hauled.
BOTTOM-TOWED FISHING
Trawling and dredging are both methods used to catch fish and shellfish that live on or near the seabed, such as flatfish and bivalves. If not well managed, these fishing gears can cause habitat disturbance. Responsible fishermen avoid trawling and dredging in particularly sensitive areas and modify their gear to reduce bycatch. For example, by adding a grid-like exclusion device to trawl nets, which prevents certain species from entering. We buy from smaller trawlers that use lighter, more environmentally friendly gear that reduces the impact on the seabed, rather than from large, heavy-duty beam trawlers.
OTTER TRAWLING
A net (or ‘trawl’) is attached to the back of the boat and towed through the water. The net is cone-shaped, with one closed end, known as the cod-end. Angled boards, called otter boards, are attached to the sides of the net to hold it open horizontally. Fish are herded into the cod-end, and the net is then hauled onto the boat. Otter trawling (shown here) potentially causes less damage to the seabed than beam trawlers.
DREDGING
A rigid metal structure, called a dredge, is towed along the seabed by a fishing boat. The dredge dislodges bivalves, such as scallops, oysters and clams, buried in the substrate, and they are collected in a metal basket. Due to the potential for damage to the seabed, we use only those fisheries that dredge responsibly, in well-managed grounds with a relatively soft, sandy or gravelly seabed, which recovers very quickly.
TRAPPING
Pots, traps and creels are small containers that are used for catching crustaceans and other shellfish. Trapping is a relatively low-impact, selective fishing method, as target species are brought to the surface unharmed and the fisherman can return any bycatch and egg-bearing females to sea. Escape panels in the traps allow small fish and shellfish to escape capture.
POTS & TRAPS
Crustaceans like crabs and lobsters are caught using pots (shown here), which vary in shape and size and are usually made of wire and nylon netting. Bait is placed inside each pot, and the pots are thrown, or ‘shot’, either individually or more commonly with multiple pots attached to one long rope. After 24–48 hours on the seabed, the pots are hauled back onto the boat, with lobsters or crabs inside. The traps are designed so the animals can enter but not leave.
CREELS
These are another form of trap, similar to pots but lighter and more specialised for certain species, such as whelks and langoustines.
HAND-GATHERING
HAND-DIVING
The most sustainable type of scallops are those that have been ‘hand-dived’ (shown here), which means that divers have manually picked them from the seabed, resulting in minimal disturbance of the bed. An added advantage is that these scallops are premium quality, as the divers select only the best and they are not dragged through the sand or mud, so they are always alive when landed and a much cleaner product than dredged scallops.
RAKING & GATHERING
Many types of shellfish, including cockles, clams and razor clams, are harvested by raking through sandy or muddy areas and then gathering the shellfish by hand. There are strict regulations in place to ensure sustainable practices, and permits for commercial quantities of shellfish are required.
