Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

childrens_illustrated_encyclopedia_template_US_layer_v1

208

Fishing industry

The world’s rivers, seas, and oceans provide one of the most

important of all foods. Fish are a rich source of protein and other vital

nutrients. it is possible to catch a few fish using just a hook on the end of

a piece of string. But to feed large numbers of people, a huge industry

exists to catch millions of fish. Japanese fishing boats, for instance,

catch more than 16,000 tons of fish each day. Fishing fleets use

different methods to catch these vast numbers of fish, such as nets,

traps, and hooks. some nets are several miles long and can catch more

than 100 million fish in one haul. Baskets, boxes, and other traps are

left in the sea for shellfish, such as crabs, lobsters, and crayfish. hooks

are arranged in a longline—a single

line carrying hundreds of

hooks—that is attached to

a fishing boat and can trap

huge numbers of fish at

one time.

Fishing grounds

Fishing boats catch most fish

near the coast in the seas above

the continental shelf (shown in the

dark blue on the map). This shelf

is an extension of the continents

covered by shallow sea water. deep-water

currents rich in nutrients rise on to the

shelf and create good feeding grounds for fish.

Freezing Fish

once a fish is dead,

its flesh quickly rots.

Freezing, canning,

drying, smoking, and

pickling all slow the

decay and preserve the

fish. Freezing is the best

method. large fishing boats

have freezing plants on board to

preserve the catch—the harvest of

fish—before returning to port.

Drift nets are up to 60 miles (100 km)

long. They catch fish very effectively,

but may also harm other marine life.

whaling

For two centuries whaling has been a

major industry and has made some

species of whale almost extinct. as

whales come to the surface to breathe,

whale hunters shoot them with

harpoons—huge explosive arrows

fired from guns.

Fish Farms

not all fish are

caught in the wild.

some fish, such as carp,

salmon, trout, and

shellfish, can be bred in

controlled conditions on

fish farms. in the united

states, fish farmers raise catfish

for food. Fish farmers build pens

in lakes, ponds, or estuaries (river

mouths). They hatch fish from eggs,

and then keep the fish until they

are big enough to sell.

The purse seiner

tows its net in a

huge circle to

sea Fishing enclose the fish.

seines are nets that hang down from the surface.

drawing the net into a circle around a school, or

group, of fish forms a huge bag that encloses the

catch. gill nets are long curtains of net that trap

fish by the gills. some gill nets float on

the surface as drift nets; others are

fixed to the sea bottom with anchors.

a trawl is a large net bag towed behind

a boat. dip nets are hung over the

side of the fishing boat on a

frame. lifting the frame

catches the fish.

At night lights

attract fish into

the dip nets.

Find out more

Farming

Fish

oceans and seas

ocean wildlife

Weights keep

the mouth of the

trawl net open.

US_208_Fishing_Industry.indd 208 21/01/16 4:58 pm