Advantages and weaknesses of set net fishing

Because set nets are installed relatively close to harbors, fishing boats used in set net fishing consume less fuel than fisheries that target schools of fish (for example, trawling and purse seining).

In addition, set net fishing is considered as a resource-friendly fishery as it does not catch all the fish in the area.

On the other hand, set net fishing cannot catch certain fish because it is a passive fishery.

Although bycatch of small Pacific bluefin tuna by set net fishing has recently become a problem in Hokkaido, it is presently difficult to intentionally prevent it.

In response to these problems, our research group thought, “Can we control the catch by devising the shape of the set net?”

However, because it is difficult to test set nets in the actual sea due to their large size, we have been working on a simulation approach.