Deep-bottom fishing techniques for the Pacific Islands A MANUAL FOR FISHERMEN
Secretariat of the Pacific Community Deep-bottom fishing techniques for the Pacific Islands A MANUAL FOR FISHERMEN Garry L. Preston, Paul D. Mead, Lindsay B. Chapman & Pale Taumaia Illustrated by Steven J. Belew -- Australian Agency for International Development Coastal Fisheries Programme Capture Section, SPC i
Secretariat of the Pacific Community, 1999 The Secretariat of the Pacific Community authorises the reproduction of this material, whole or in part, provided appropriate acknowledgment is given. Original edition: English Secretariat of the Pacific Community cataloguing-in-publication data Deep-bottom Fishing Techniques for the Pacific Islands : A Manual for Fishermen / G. L. Preston... [et al.] 1. Fisheries Equipment and supplies 2. Deep-sea fishes Oceania 3. Fishing handbooks, manuals I. Secretariat of the Pacific Community II. Title 639.2028 AACR2 ISBN 982-203-681-7 Authors 1. Garry L. Preston, Gillett, Preston and Associates Inc., BP 11041, 98802 Noumea Cedex, New Caledonia 2. Paul D. Mead, Ikapuna Fishing Company, PO Box 106, Neiafu, Vava u, Tonga. 3. Lindsay B. Chapman, Fisheries Development Adviser, Secretariat of the Pacific Community, BP D5, 98848 Noumea Cedex, New Caledonia 4. Pale Taumaia, Professional Fisherman, Apia, Samoa Prepared for publication at SPC headquarters, Noumea, New Caledonia and printed by Stredder Print, New Zealand ii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors acknowledge with thanks the technical contributions of Barney Smith, former SPC Fisheries Advisor, and Alastair Robertson, former SPC Fisheries Training Officer. Most of the drawings in this manual were done by technical illustrator Steve Belew, whose participation was funded by the FAO South Pacific Regional Fisheries Development Programme. Publication of the present handbook was financed by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID). Additional production, material and equipment costs were met by grants from the Commonwealth Foundation and the United Kingdom Overseas Development Administration. We are grateful to each of these organisations for their funding support. UNITS, CONVERSIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS Metric units are used throughout this document. Conversions between metric and imperial units are as follows: 1 millimetre (1 mm) = 0.039 inch 1 inch = 25.38 mm 1 centimetre (1 cm) = 0.393 inch 1 inch = 2.54 cm 1 metre (1 m) = 3.281 feet 1 foot = 0.305 m 1 metre (1 m) = 0.546 fathoms 1 fathom = 1.83 m Some manufacturers use nominal equivalents in converting between metric and standard US measures. The nominal equivalents of the metric measures given in this document are as follows: 5 mm ----------------------- = 3/16 inch 16 mm ---------------------= 5/8 inch 6 mm ----------------------- = 1/4 inch 19 mm ---------------------= 3/4 inch 8 mm ----------------------- = 5/16 inch 22 mm ---------------------= 7/8 inch 10 mm --------------------- = 3/8 inch 25 mm ---------------------= 1 inch 12 mm --------------------- = 1/2 inch 50 mm ---------------------= 2 inch 14 mm --------------------- = 9/16 inch 100 mm --------------------= 4 inch Apart from the units of measure noted above, other abbreviations used regularly in this document include the following: dia. SPC Diameter Secretariat of the Pacific Community DISCLAIMER Reference to trade names of products or processes in this document does not constitute endorsement by any of the sponsoring agencies named above. Reference to persons in any particular gender is understood to include persons of the opposite gender unless otherwise stated, or made explicit by the context. iii
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TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTER 1: BOTTOM FISHING BASICS 3 A. Bottom fishing in the Pacific... 4 B. Commonly caught fish... 6 C. Safe navigation... 8 D. Avoiding accidents and injuries... 10 CHAPTER 2: FISHING GEAR AND EQUIPMENT 13 A. The standard bottom-fishing rig... 14 B. Line materials... 15 C. Hooks, swivels and sinkers... 16 D. Tools and utensils... 18 E. Knots for hooks and tackle... 20 F. Knots for joining lines... 22 G. Using loops to join lines and attach tackle... 23 H. End loops in cable... 24 I. Trace attachment points... 26 J. The assembled line... 27 K. Reels for bottom fishing... 28 L. Bait... 30 M. Chum... 32 CHAPTER 3: THE FISHING VESSEL 35 A. General vessel considerations... 36 B. Handreel mounting... 38 C. Containers for fish and ice... 40 D. Anchor rope... 42 E. Anchors... 44 F. Echo-sounders... 46 G. Fish landing tools... 48 CHAPTER 4: FISHING OPERATIONS 51 A. Choosing the fishing ground... 52 B. Fishing inside the reef... 53 C. Fishing outside the reef... 54 D. Checking the depth... 56 E. Anchoring up... 58 F. Positioning the boat at anchor... 60 G. Hooking and hauling fish... 62 H. Boating the fish... 64 I. Hauling the anchor... 66 J. Drifting with wind and current... 68 CHAPTER 5: AFTER FISHING 71 A. Taking care of the catch... 72 B. Handling fish for export... 73 C. Care of the boat... 74 D. Care of the fishing gear... 76 E. Keeping records... 77 APPENDIX: OTHER DEEP-BOTTOM FISHING METHODS 79 v
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