Fishing Gears and Methods in Java, Madura, and Bali Islands, Indonesia

Fishing gear and methods were observed throughout the survey period in Java, Madura, and Bali, Indonesia. Result summary is presented below;1) Most boats are not mechanized and sailboats are still used widely.2) Synthetic fiber, either monofilament and multifilament, has replaced the natural fiber and is commonly used for netting materials and lines.3) Fishermen have skilfull hand net—making technique for monofilament gill net. Nevertheless, modification of this gear is poor.4) Although drive—in nets have many advantages especially in tropical and subtropical waters, these fishing gear are not popular in the areas surveyed, except for the milkfish fry collection with scoop nets and scare lines.5) Trawl net operation has been prohibited since 1980.6) Purse seine was introduced to Indonesia in 1974 and is a relatively new fishing gear to Indonesian fishermen. Nevertheless, it has been used extensively since the prohibition of trawl nets.7) Pressure kerosene lamps are widely used as fish attracting lamps, and electric fish lamps has not been found in the areas surveyed. The light intensity of the fish lamps seems too high for the present size purse seines and lift nets.8) While the fish attracting moored raft RUMPON is the only device to allure and gather pelagic fishes migrating offshore, the number of rafts is very likely to decrease because the Danish seines (specially designed for catching fishes associated with the raft) are gradually being replaced by purse seines