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A fishing vessel is a ship or boat used to catch fish in the sea, or on a lake or river. There are many different kinds of vessels used in both commercial fishing and in recreational fishing.
The earliest fishing vessels were presumably craft such as rafts, dugout canoes, and coracles, and not intended for use any great distance from the shoreline.
Prior to the 1950s there was little standardisation of fishing boats. Designs could vary between ports and boatyards.
Traditionally boats were built out of wood, but wood is not often used now because of cost and the difficulty in obtaining suitable timber. Fibreglass is used increasingly in smaller fishing vessels up to 25 metres (100 tons), while steel is usually used on vessels above 25 metres.
According to the FAO, there are currently (2004) about four million commercial fishing vessels. About 40,000 of these are greater than 100 tons.1 It is difficult to estimate the number of recreational fishing boats. They range in size from small dingies to large charter cruisers, and unlike commercial fishing vessels, are often not dedicated just to fishing.
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History
Early vessels
The earliest fishing vessels were presumably craft such as rafts, dugout canoes, and coracles, and not intended for use any great distance from the shoreline.
Traditional boats
- See also: Traditional fishing boats
Coastal localities around the world often developed their own traditional type of fishing boat adapted to the specific local fishing and sea conditions. Examples of these are the nobbies, which were used along the north west coast of England, and the dorries, which were used along the east coast of North America.
Sail
Motorisation
Commercial vessels
The 200-mile fishing limit has changed fishing patterns and, in recent times, fishing boats are becoming more specialised and standardised. In the United States and Canada more use is made of large factory trawlers, while the huge blue water fleets operated by Japan and the Soviet-bloc countries have contracted. In western Europe, fishing vessel design is focused on compact boats with high catching power.
Commercial fishing is a high risk industry, and countries are introducing regulations governing the construction and operation of fishing vessels. The International Maritime Organization, convened in 1959 by the United Nations, is responsible for devising measures aimed at the prevention of accidents, including standards for ship design, construction, equipment, operation and manning.
The FAO classifies commercial fishing vessels by the gear they use.
Trawlers
A trawler is a fishing vessel designed to use trawl nets in order to catch large volumes of fish.
Seiners
Drifters
Longliners
Factory ships
Recreational vessels
- See also: Recreational boat fishing
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Charter boats
These fishing vessels are often privately operated and host 'fishing trips', their size can range widely depending on the type of trips run and geographical location.
Fishing kayaks
- See also: Kayak fishing
The kayak has long been a means of transportation and a means of accessing fishing grounds. Kayak fishing has gained popularity in recent times.
Flounder boats
Pontoon boats
Popular in recent years, these boats allow one or two fishermen to get into small rivers or lakes that would have difficulty accommodating larger boats. Typically 8-12 ft in length, these inflatable craft can be assembled quickly and easily. Some feature rigid frames derived from the white water rafting industry.
 Bangladeshi fishing boats, also known as trollers, at the dock of Narikel Zinzira, St. Martin's Island). |
 Fishing boats in Gambia). |
 Fishing boats in Jantar |
 Pilgrimage of fishermen to a church fair in the Bay of Puck, Poland, Baltic Sea). |
 View from St George's Castle, Ghana |
 The German factory ship Kiel NC 105. |
 Fishing boats at the bay of Mae Haad on Koh Tao, Surat Thani, Thailand. |
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See also
Notes
- ^ BBC (2006) Factory fishing: facts and figures
References
- FAO (2004) The status of the fishing fleet ISBN 92-5-105177-1
- FAO (1999) Analysis of the vessels over 100 tons in the global fishing fleet FAO Fisheries Circular C949.
- McGrail, Sean (2004). Boats of the World: From the Stone Age to Medieval Times. USA: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0199271860.
External links
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Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 4 November 2008, at 18:23.
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