3. Commercial Fishing Gear Types—Present Status 
Commercial fishermen in the United States 
employ a variety of equipment and vessels to 
harvest fish and shellfish. Each fishery is character- 
ized by its specialization of fishing gear and 
vessels. Commercial fishing gear design is dictated 
by the species to be harvested, its size, habitat, 
mobility, and by conservation requirements. 
Commercial fishing gear may be classified as: 
—Nets (seines, trawls, gill nets, etc.). 
—Hook and line (hand lines, long lines, trolling 
lines, etc.). 
—Gear for gathering immobile species (shovels, 
tongs, rakes, pumps, and dredges). 
—Traps and barriers (pots, pound nets, wires, etc.). 
Figure 5 lists the value of catch to the 
fishermen by type of gear for 1966. Figures 6, 7, 
and 8 are photographs of gill nets, a clam dredge 
and a snapper trap. 
Figure 6. Operation of gill net hauler aboard 
R/V Oregon, shown hauling 6-inch stretched 
mesh tuna gill net. (Bureau of Commercial 
Figure 5 Fisheries photo) 
CATCH BY GEAR TYPE, 1966 
Value of 
Principle 
Gear Catch to a eee 
Fishermen f 
Caught 
($ Million) 
Otter Trawls . shrimp, bottom 
fish 
salmon, tuna, men- 
haden, anchovy 
crab, lobster 
Purse Seines . 
Pots and Traps 
Baited Hook 
& Line salmon, halibut 
Gill Nets . salmon, shad, perch, 
bass, mackerel 
Dredges scallops, oysters, 
clams 
Tongs and Rakes oysters 
Haul Seines . bait, herring 
Pound Nets herring 
Hoes and Forks . clams 
Fyke and 
Hoop Nets . perch, alewives, 
catfish, bait 
Trammel Nets pompano, mullet, 
weakfish 
Other Gear 
miscellaneous 
Source: Office of Program Planning, Bureau of Com- 
mercial Fisheries. 
Figure 7. Clam dredges being hauled aboard 
R/V Silver Bay. (Bureau of Commercial 
Fisheries photo) 
VI-141 
