Longline fishing, or longlining, is a commercial fishing angling technique that uses a long main line with baited hooks attached at intervals via short branch lines called snoods or gangions. A snood is attached to the main line using a clip or swivel, with the hook at the other end. Longlines are classified mainly by where they are placed in the water column. This can be at the surface or at the bottom. Lines can also be set by means of an anchor, or left to drift. Hundreds or even thousands of baited hooks can hang from a single line. This can lead to many deaths of different marine species. Longliners – fishing vessels rigged for longlining – commonly target swordfish, tuna, halibut, sablefish and many other species.
Longlining for mackerel
Longline radiobuoys
Seabirds with longline fishing vessel
Preparing lines for longlining
Commercial fishing is the activity of catching fish and other seafood for commercial profit, mostly from wild fisheries. It provides a large quantity of food to many countries around the world, but those who practice it as an industry must often pursue fish far into the ocean under adverse conditions. Large-scale commercial fishing is called industrial fishing.
Commercial crab fishing at the Elbe River in June 2007.
Trawl fishermen wearing personal flotation devices in a January 2009 trial
San Miguel Rescue - The Coast Guard Rescued Three Commercial Fishermen
NIOSH prototype emergency stop (e-stop) being tested on the purse seiner F/V Lake Bay.