วันเสาร์ที่ 11 เมษายน พ.ศ. 2552

Fishing for fun

By Cheryl L. True

Fishing is the activity of catching fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping.

Fishing is an ancient practice that dates back at least to the Paleolithic period which began about 40,000 years ago. Archaeology finds such as shell middens, discarded fish bones and cave paintings show that sea foods were important for survival and consumed in significant quantities.

During this period, most people lived a hunter-gatherer lifestyle and were, of necessity, constantly on the move. However, while there are early examples of permanent settlements (though not necessarily permanently occupied) such as those at Lepenski Vir in Serbia, they are almost always associated with fishing as a major source of food.

According to FAO statistics, the total number of fishermen and fish farmers is estimated to be 38 million. Fisheries provide direct and indirect employment to an estimated 200 million people.

There are two types of fishing. The traditional and recreational fishing. Traditional fishing is a term used to describe small scale commercial or subsistence fishing practices, using traditional techniques such as rod and tackle, arrows and harpoons, throw nets and drag nets, etc.

Recreational and sport fishing describe fishing for pleasure or competition. Recreational fishing has conventions, rules, licensing restrictions and laws that limit the way in which fish may be caught; typically, these prohibit the use of nets and the catching of fish with hooks not in the mouth.

The most common form of recreational fishing is done with a rod, reel, line, hooks and any one of a wide range of baits or artificial lures such as spinners or "dry flies." The practice of catching or attempting to catch fish with a hook is generally known as angling.

In angling, it is sometimes expected or required that fish be returned to the water (catch and release). Recreational or sport fishermen may log their catches or participate in fishing competitions.

There are many techniques for fishing. Fishermen may use hooks and fishing line and a fishing rod. Fishing nets, fish traps, and trap nets may be used to capture fish. Lobster and crab pots use a similar method. Hand fishing consists of fishing with the hands or through the use of minimal equipment.

In spear fishing, the fish is killed using an ordinary spear or a specialized variant. Closely related to spear fishing is bow fishing. This consists of a bow with arrows that have cord attached for retrieval. Trained animals can assist in fishing; one notable example is Asian cormorant fishing.

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