Fishing is one of the oldest activities known to man. Early man who lived on houses erected on poles above the water of lakes soon learned how to catch the silent creatures that swam around underneath the surrounding waters. The fishing methods of those primitive peoples did not differ much from the lines, nets and hooks of today.

The implements used in fishing can be quite complicated, such as the lobster pots that are sunk, laden with bait, to the sea-bed and the nets which are rigged up by groups of people working together. When these nets are dragged along the water they are known as trawls.

Other types of nets are placed in the water to form a ring which is then gradually closed round the fish and lifted out of the water. This method is known as purse seining.

In other netting systems fishermen simply block the fish’s means of escape and force them to swim into a special area where they are caught.