Small-scale fishing techniques using light
A manual for fishermen

by William Sokimi and Steve Beverly

This manual presents some of the small-craft night baiting and fishing techniques commonly used in the Pacific Islands region, and provides Pacific Island fishermen with information that may help develop their small-craft commercial fishing operations. Some of the techniques are improvements in canoe fishing methods and use basic gear, while other techniques include modern fishing equipment used on advanced small-scale fishing craft. Still other methods are adaptations of medium- to large-scale industrial fishing operations to small fishing craft operations.

The night baiting and night fishing methods covered in this manual encourage small-craft commercial fishermen to steer away from bottom fishing operations and move toward fishing for midwater pelagic fish, either inshore or offshore. Fishing methods focus on using light to aggregate phytoplankton and baitfish that in turn attract large pelagic fish.

This manual describes the use of bouke-ami stick-held dip nets, basnig lift nets and gill nets for catching baitfish and small pelagic fish. It is believed that if these net fishing methods are properly managed in coastal fishing communities, the accumulated bait, especially scads and sardinella, can be caught in sufficient volume to subsidise bait used in small-scale commercial tuna longline fishing operations.

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