Isles of Scilly Fish and Fisheries - Cornwall Wildlife Trust
Isles of Scilly Fish and Fisheries - Cornwall Wildlife Trust
Isles of Scilly Fish and Fisheries - Cornwall Wildlife Trust
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
5.4) Potting<br />
Traps or pots are the most widely used fishing method in the isl<strong>and</strong>s. It is estimated<br />
that between 3500 <strong>and</strong> 5000 traps are in use during the season. Commercial boats<br />
may fish 150 to over 800, lifting them every couple <strong>of</strong> days, while non-commercial<br />
fishermen can be working up to 30 pots. Most boats set around 300 pots <strong>and</strong> haul 150<br />
each day, giving a normal soak time <strong>of</strong> two days.<br />
There are several varieties <strong>of</strong> traps all consisting <strong>of</strong> a metal frame covered with plastic<br />
netting, <strong>of</strong>ten bound together with rubber strips. These are baited with fish or other<br />
carrion <strong>and</strong> usually weighted so that they rest on the sea bed <strong>and</strong> are not moved by<br />
waves or currents. Traps are increasingly having escape panels fitted. These are<br />
rectangular plastic panels with a hole too small for a marketable crab to escape but<br />
large enough to allow undersized animals out. It is not known how widely these have<br />
been adopted in <strong>Scilly</strong>. There are three main types <strong>of</strong> trap used in the isl<strong>and</strong>s.<br />
5.4.1) Inkwell pots.<br />
These are based on the traditional wicker lobster pots; with a metal mesh base <strong>and</strong> a<br />
frame giving it a typical beehive shape with a single entrance at the top. This entrance<br />
is an inward-curving sleeve <strong>of</strong> rubber or plastic, commonly six inches wide.<br />
5.4.2) Parlour pots.<br />
These are more like a creel in form, with a flat base <strong>and</strong> a D-shape frame. They have<br />
two compartments with a similar entrance to an inkwell in the top <strong>of</strong> one <strong>and</strong> the bait in<br />
the other. An animal entering through the top then has to push through a s<strong>of</strong>t tapering<br />
netting sleeve into the “parlour” to reach the bait. Having done so, it would then have<br />
to push out the “wrong way” through the small entrance <strong>and</strong> then up <strong>and</strong> out <strong>of</strong> the top<br />
opening to get free. These are lighter <strong>and</strong> have a better catch rate than the inkwells<br />
<strong>and</strong> have largely replaced them. However, few creatures escape from these traps,<br />
<strong>and</strong> if they cannot be attended for a while due to bad weather or are lost most <strong>of</strong> the<br />
catch will die <strong>and</strong> rot in the trap.<br />
16
Change language