FISHING GEAR METHODS

• Fishing gears and methods designed to capture fish have been in use for thousands of years. 
• Stone-tipped fishing spears, hooks, lines, nets made of tree fibers, and traps were used in some of the first civilizations throughout the world. Although simple in design, theses prehistoric concepts are the blueprints for many of the gears used in modern fisheries. 
• As societies and trade routes developed so did the fishing techniques and gear. Some of the first improvements were the development of barbed hooks to replace traditional hooks and the use of stronger fibers, such as hemp and linen, for lines and nets. Improvements on gear and methods continued for centuries. However, it was not until the advent of steam powered vessels at the end of the 19th century, the introduction of motor-driven vessels in the early 20th century, and the mechanization of fishing equipment in the 1950’s that the methods and gears used in today’s fisheries were developed.
• All of the advancements in fishing gear and equipment were designed to make the practice of fishing more efficient and result in higher catch rates. 

• Unfortunately, with better gear and technology also came some disadvantages.After the 1950s, increased fishing efforts with more sophisticated gears led to significant increases of by catch and habitat degradation. 
• Although attempts to manage by catch in the United States existed throughout the 20th century, it was not until the passage of the Fishery Conservation and Management Act (now the Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. in 1976 that initial regulations designed to control by catch of foreign vessels were applied to U.S. fishing fleets. In 1996, National Standard 9 was added to the MSFCMA specifically to minimize by catch and when by catch is unavoidable, to reduce the mortality of by catch. Gear development now focuses on selective fishing and reduced environment