The 1×1 of Fishing Nets
If you browse through our shop, you'll quickly notice that our products all look different: They come in many different colors, are of different thicknesses and sometimes have one, sometimes two, sometimes three knots. We are often asked whether we can offer other colors, for example. The answer: That depends! In this article, we'll explain why. Read on!
Why do all Bracenet bracelets look different?
If you browse through our shop, you'll quickly notice that our products all look different: They come in different colors, are of different thicknesses and sometimes have one, sometimes two, sometimes three knots in the mesh of their nets. We are often asked whether we can offer other colors, for example. The answer: It depends!
Our bracenets, dog leashes, key chains and all other net products are made from real, used fishing nets that would otherwise drift through the oceans as ghost nets or otherwise have to be disposed of as end-of-life nets. We clean the nets and then process them directly by hand - all colors, thicknesses, mesh spacing and knots are therefore determined by the original properties of the nets.
But how come the nets are all so different? In this article we will explore the reasons and give you a short introduction to the underwater world of fishing nets.
The colors of the fishing nets
If we take a look at the choice of a suitable net for fishing, in addition to the criteria of net strength, durability and cost, the color can also be a decisive factor. For example, inconspicuous colors such as green or blue are used in the water so that the fish do not notice the nets and swim into them unsuspectingly.
But fisheries do not always have any influence on the color of the net. It can also depend on the material, the type of net or the manufacturing company. Gill nets, for example, are made of monofilament nylon, i.e. nylon strands made of a single fiber, and are often transparent. For trawl nets, which are typically made of polyethylene, net factories often use their own colors. Nets made of polyamide and polyester are usually white, as this is the basic color of the material.
There are two reasons that explain the variety of colours of our Bracenets. Firstly, we use nets made of HDPE ( high density polythene ), as these are best suited for everyday use on the wrist thanks to their material and structure. This means that the colors of the Bracenets can be predetermined by the factories that originally manufactured the nets. On the other hand, you will see in our shop that many of our Bracenets come in shades of green, blue or gray - colors that look inconspicuous in the sea.
The types of fishing nets
In addition to the colors, the nets differ in many other aspects such as thickness, material and mesh spacing. These aspects depend on the purpose of the nets: which fish are to be caught and with what means? The fishing methods range from fishing by hand to gigantic trawlers that drag their nets across the seabed. Here we introduce them to you so that you can get a better idea of why the nets differ so much.
Fishing Methods at a Glance
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fishing is the most selective method of fishing and therefore also the most gentle on the population of marine animals and the preservation of ecosystems. In its simplest form, it consists only of a rod, line and hook. The lines are usually made of plastic and can sometimes break, but are relatively small compared to nets and have a smaller impact on the oceans than larger nets.
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gill nets are used in several of the fishing methods described here. They get their name from the fact that fish first become entangled head first and then become entangled in their gills when they try to retreat.
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gillnets become, As their name suggests, they are set up vertically in the water. They are held to the ground by weights and raised up by buoys. This creates net walls that can be up to 15 km long and 15 m high. Fixed nets are controversial in coastal fishing, as many marine mammals, such as porpoises, and seabirds are caught in the net as bycatch (unwanted catch) and die.
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train networks are usually pulled through waters by boats and are used on the beach, in inland waters or in fish farming. In lake fishing, two boats move apart in a circle, the net is let off the drum and then slowly pulled back in. The fish collect in a catch bag woven into the net, from which they cannot swim out again.
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fish traps such as baskets and traps are considered "passive" fishing gear. They consist of different shapes and materials, depending on whether squid, lobsters, crayfish, shrimps, crabs or bottom-dwelling fish are the desired prey. The traps are anchored to the seabed and sometimes equipped with buoys to mark their locations.
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Trapezoid nets are nets made of three layers that are pulled to the bottom with weights like gill nets and set up in the water with floating corks. Their special feature is that the layers have different mesh sizes. If fish manage to get through the first layer, they then get caught in the narrower net in the middle
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purse seine nets are drawn in a ring around a school of fish and tightened with a cord attached to the bottom so that the school is enclosed. This method is preferably used when fishing for food fish such as sardines, herring, mackerel and especially tuna. As these schools are often accompanied by dolphins, in the past there were increased bycatch rates and the use of illegal search aircraft led to local overfishing. Today there are legal regulations in many places to optimize fishing methods to ensure that they are safe for dolphins. 
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drift nets are up to 60 km long and float vertically through the sea like an impenetrable wall. Everything that gets caught in them dies a painful death. Many marine conservation organizations have been fighting against the still illegal fishing with drift nets for years and are trying to change the way fisheries are managed, as many whales, sharks, turtles and dolphins as well as highly endangered fish species are caught in the nets. These death traps often drift in the water for several days and are located using attached transmitters. However, many also get lost and then continue to make their way through the sea as the most dangerous ghost nets. Drift nets have been banned in all EU waters since 2008.
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floating nets are a further development of gillnets and have been permitted in the Mediterranean since 2006. They are anchored to the seabed and suspended in the water. Animal rights activists attribute similarly devastating side effects to them as drift nets.
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Pelagic longlines are used in deep sea fishing. Many secondary lines with up to 20,000 bait hooks hang down from a main line that can be up to 130 km long. Longline fishing is also heavily criticized due to its enormous bycatch rate. The bait floating close to the water surface can not only kill sharks, sea turtles and rays, but also lure many seabirds to their doom.
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bottom fish longlines work like pelagic longlines, but are sunk to depths of up to 2,500 m and anchored horizontally to the seabed, thus catching fish that live close to the seabed.
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trawl nets are divided into bottom trawls and pelagic trawls, which are both pulled by trawlers. The pelagic trawl is used at depths of 50 - 300 m, has a funnel shape and ends in a catch bag. Bottom trawls have a similar but shortened structure and are used at depths of up to 1,500 m. Both variants are criticized because of the high bycatch rate and bottom trawls are also criticized because they drag along the seabed and thus stir up and destroy entire ecosystems.
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beam trawls are characterized by the fact that a bottom trawl net is kept open by means of a pole attached across the net. The net is attached to two runners like a sledge that is pulled across the seabed. Iron chains attached between the runners ensure that the fish living on the seabed are disturbed and "get caught in the net". This type of fishing causes immense destruction of the seabed with all its plants and animals and results in a high bycatch rate.
A word on the side
Does it make you feel strange reading about all these fishing methods? Don't worry, it does for us too. We have tried to describe them as neutrally as possible: to explain why the nets all look different and at the same time because we understand that this is how fisheries have to earn their living. What we don't understand, however, is the merciless overfishing of our seas, the use of illegal fishing methods, the apparent "normality" of bycatch and the discarding of nets so that they continue to litter the seas as ghost nets.
In the supermarket, fish labels promise sustainable and responsible fishing. But how credible are the labels really? We are very critical of them - but it would go beyond the scope of this article to examine them in detail. We will do that elsewhere. Until then, we have put together a few links so that you can get an idea for yourself:
- The BR provides an overview of 10 different seals
- Greenpeace cannot recommend any seal without reservation
- The ARD documentary “The business with the fish label” criticizes the MSC label
- The MSC comments on this
- The WWF is co-founder of the MSC – and ASC seal, but recognizes the shortcomings and advocates for reforms
How do fishermen and fisherwomen choose a method?
In addition to environmental conditions such as weather and currents, there are other aspects that fisheries must face in order to successfully catch fish. There are differences between small-scale operations and industrial fishing.
- What species of fish should be caught? Where are they found?
- Are boats available?
- How big are the boats and how much power do they have?
- How are the boats equipped? How many days can they stay at sea?
- Do traditions play a role, for example in local communities that fish on a small scale?
- What are the costs for equipment, crew and boat operation?
The Bracenets are just the beginning
As you can see in our blog post 5 Things You Should Know About Ghost Nets As you will learn, nets remain a major threat to oceans and marine animals when they are lost or deliberately sunk - until they decompose in 400-600 years and pollute the oceans as microplastics. With Bracenet, we are doing our part to recover the ghost nets from the oceans and process them into new products. So far, we have mainly used nets made of HDPE, as these are good for bracelets. We have already achieved a lot and have already upcycled 7 tons of nets into Bracenets - but there is still a lot to do. We are constantly working on new products and considering how we can also use nets made of other materials. With innovative ideas and concentrated power, we are managing to completely rid the oceans of the ghost of nets. Do you have a brainwave? Write to us!
If you want to learn more about nets and the different fishing methods, check out the articles by Greenpeace over.
Illustrations by Niko Jakoby