Willoughby S. and D. Leslie. Fishing gear of Barbados.
Foreword
The purpose of this report is twofold. First, it provides an insight of local fishing gear as part of the Fisheries Division's ongoing efforts to document aspects of the local fishing industry. Second, it updates the parts of the publication "The Fishing Industry of Barbados" Willoughby 1989 and makes the information readily available to the public.
In very simple fashion the authors of this report convey the basic understanding of what fishing gear is, and how it performs in the hands of skilled fishermen. This understanding of activities seldom seen by most people is necessary for the management of fisheries. However, it is also important for students, teachers and the general public to appreciate part of the enterprise that helps to feed the nation from the resources in the seas around our shores.
Abstract
This report documents the fishing gear commonly used by local fishermen. The report is divided into three parts - nets lines and traps. Four tvpes of fishing nets are described: gillnets, dipnets, seine nets and castnet. The nets operate by entangling the target species. Eight types of lines are described - brim line, guineaman line, pillar stick, blowgoat line, trolling lines, rod and reel, longlines, and pole and line. These lines depend on baited hooks to catch the target species. Five types of fish traps are mentioned - A, Z, S, rectangle and square. Traps function by luring fish into the gear from which they (fish) are unable to escape. Each type of gear is sketched and described in terms of the dimensions, materials of construction, target species, fishing area and operating techniques - deployment, soak time and retrieval.