Commercial fish are caught with gear designed for particular species and fishing grounds. Four common methods are bottom trawls, purse seines, gillnets and pelagic longlines. They work in different parts of the water and capture fish in different ways, so their risks to animals caught unintentionally also differ.
How commercial fishing methods are chosen
Fishing gear is matched to where a target fish lives and how it gathers or moves. A vessel may tow a net along the seabed, surround a school near the surface, place mesh in a fish’s path or set baited hooks at selected depths. These are common examples, not a complete list of commercial fishing methods, and fisheries using the same broad gear type can differ in their setup and effects.
How the main commercial fishing methods work
| Method | Where it operates | How it catches fish | Examples of targets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bottom trawl | Along the ocean floor | A vessel tows a net; floats and weights hold its opening in shape, and fish collect in the net’s codend. | Fish on or near the seabed; exact targets and net configuration vary with species and bottom type. |
| Purse seine | Around a school in the water | A skiff encircles the school with netting. A line threaded through rings at the net’s bottom is pulled tight to close the net beneath the fish. | Schooling pelagic fish such as sardines and tuna, as well as squid. |
| Gillnet | Set or drifting in the water | A wall of mesh is sized so a fish’s head can pass through but its body cannot; as it backs out, its gills catch in the mesh. | Varies by fishery and how the net is set. |
| Pelagic longline | Suspended at selected depths in the water column | A mainline carries baited hooks on branch lines. The gear may soak for hours and is monitored with buoys. | Varies by fishery and the depth at which the line is set. |
Bottom trawling
A bottom trawl is towed along the seabed. The net’s floats and weights help keep its mouth open, while the catch gathers at the back in a section called the codend. NOAA says configurations vary according to the target species and bottom type. NOAA’s bottom-trawl overview explains the gear.
Purse seining
When fish are schooling near the surface, a skiff can lay netting around them. The net’s bottom is threaded with rings and a line; pulling that line closes the net underneath the school, like a purse. The catch is then brought aboard or alongside the vessel. NOAA lists sardines, tuna and squid among purse-seine targets. See NOAA’s purse-seine overview.
Recommended Free Tools
#1 Best Overall
- 【10 x 65ft Fishing Netting Size】: With an expanded size of 10*65ft, this fishing net can be used on a wider scale, improving the capturing rate and saving time. The beach trawl is very large, very suitable for catching small fish and shiners.
- 【Dense Fishing Meshes】: The meshes of the fishing net are dense enough with a size of 0.59in to make sure the capturing rate of minnows, shiners, and so on. This net can be tied to both ends across a river or preferred place everything which goes across will be caught, please note the measurement of the mesh size are taken stretched and are approximate.
- 【Durable Material】: The net made of polyethylene is reinforced with low water absorption, so it is more durable and can be used for a long time.It is made by hand and double knotted, so it is not easy to shake when used. Its mesh is woven by brand new clinker, and the mesh is reinforced, so it is strong and durable with fine workmanship.
- 【Efficient and Labor-saving】: Compared with manual fishing, fishing with a fishing net is labor-saving and can save your time and energy. Once the net is set up, you can do other things and wait for the harvest. With equipped floats along the top edge to keep the net from sinking and lead weights to help to hold the bottom of the seine down, it is more efficient to use it.
- 【Instructions】: 1. This net can be used on a beach by two people, one of them will have to get in shallow water the other will stay over on land. It can also be used on a boat. You tie one end to a floating object and hold the other end. 2.This net can also be tied to both ends across a river which goes across will be caught.
Gillnetting
A gillnet is a wall of mesh placed where fish will encounter it. Mesh size is selected so a fish’s head can enter but its body cannot pass through; when the fish tries to back out, its gills can become caught. A set net is anchored or fixed in place. A drift net is held at a chosen depth by floats and weights. NOAA describes the gear and protected-species concerns on its gillnet page.
Pelagic longlining
A pelagic longline consists of a mainline with many baited hooks attached by shorter branch lines. It can be suspended at different depths, left to soak for hours and tracked with buoys. NOAA reports an average U.S. pelagic longline set of 28 miles (45 km); that figure describes the reported average set, not every vessel or fishery. Its longline overview describes the method and mitigation measures.
Rank #2
- Large brown decorative fishing net, 5x10 Ft, for home decor, party decorations, nautical displays.
- Material: knotted nylon fish netting. Super strong and suitable for light plushie storage when securely mounted.
- This decorative fish netting is made for home decor and does not have a fish odor.
- Netting can be cut and will not unravel.
- 3/4" mesh (squared) / 1" when measured as a diamond.
Why bycatch differs among methods
Bycatch is marine life caught incidentally while fishers target another species. The risk depends on the gear and the particular fishery, including its target, location and practices—not just the method’s name.
- Gillnets: Because animals can encounter and become entangled in the mesh, NOAA identifies protected-species entanglement as a concern.
- Purse seines: A net encircling a target school can also capture other animals that are with it.
- Longlines: Non-target animals may take or become caught on baited hooks. NOAA says circle hooks can reduce the likelihood of turtles and marine mammals ingesting hooks or being caught.
- Bottom trawls: The net is designed to collect fish along the seabed, but the resulting incidental catch depends on the fishery and its setup.
Rules and mitigation measures vary by fishery and region. NOAA’s bycatch overview describes the issue and management approaches. A claim that one gear type is always sustainable or always harmful would leave out important differences in target species, fishing location, implementation and evidence.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Rank #3
- Durable Seine Net for Long Lasting Fishing Adventures - High Quality Materials for Frequent Use, Including Floats and Sinkers
- Capture More Fish with Our Maximum Catch Seine Net Design. Professional Grade for Pro Fisherman.
- Lightweight Seine Net for Effortless Transportation - Take Your Fishing Gear Anywhere With You.
- Perfect Size Seine Net for Your Aquatic Enviroment - Choose From Various Depths and Width Options.
- Multi-Environment Fishing Tool - Versatile Seine Net for Rivers, Lakes, Bays and Other Bodies of Water. Ideal for Amateur and Professional Fishermen.
How large is commercial fishing?
In the United States, NOAA reports that commercial fisheries landed 8.4 billion pounds of edible and industrial fishery products, valued at $5.1 billion, in 2023. These are U.S. totals for that year, not global figures or a measure of the catch from any single method. NOAA provides the figures on its commercial fishing science page.
A much older global estimate should not be mistaken for a current annual total. A 1994 FAO assessment, based on a review of more than 800 papers, estimated annual commercial-fishery discards at 17.9–39.5 million tonnes, with an average of 27.0 million tonnes. It is a historical estimate, not a current measurement. See the FAO’s 1994 assessment.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
