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for fishing in deep water, spinning baits, casting 
nets — used only in shallow water — drift nets, seines 
and fixed purse nets, but the stake-traps which are 
to be seen, often far out from the land, in the shallow 
Straits of Malacca, are the most noticed by the 
hasty visitor to Malaya. These erections are of 
considerable strength. They consist of two lines 
of stakes converging upon a stoutly-built rectangular 
cage, open at both ends. When this type of trap 
is working; a carpet-like screen of roughly the 
same dimensions as the interior of the cage, is let 
down into the water. This is depressed at the 
mouth of the cage and in the middle, but raised 
towards the edges, so that the fish shall not escape. 
When a shoal of fish is observed to have entered 
the cage, the watchers on the platform above raise 
the screen by means of two windlasses, and the 
catch is bailed out by means of a landing-net, or 
scoop, attached to a long pole. The trap is then 
re-set. 
Other stake traps which are to be seen along 
the coasts consist of two converging rows of poles 
leading to a series of heart-shaped compartments, 
the base of each heart, i.e. its broadest part, being 
directed outwards and there being narrow entrances 
leading from one compartment to another. The 
compartments of the trap are walled with screens 
of bamboo or other material, and the fish find their 
way along the stakes and into the first division, 
and from this into the furthest. In the larger 
traps a door is closed on the fish when they have 
gone into the furthest compartment and a sub- 
merged screen, which forms a floor, is raised to 
allow of the fish being scooped out by means of a 
bailer on a long pole. 
hn 
