Introduction

Salmon typically have a streamlined and elongated body, well-adapted for swift swimming. They are covered in small, overlapping scales, and their coloration can vary widely. The color depends on the species, age, and the environment.

Salmon undergo anadromous migration. They hatch from eggs in freshwater rivers and streams. After hatching, young salmon, called fry, spend some time in freshwater before migrating to the ocean, where they grow and mature.

Salmon is one of the most popular fishes in the world. it is highly valued for its delicious taste and nutritional benefits. Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and various vitamins and minerals, salmon is a popular choice among seafood enthusiasts.

Types of salmon

There are many types of salmon in the world, I will introduce the most popular species in fishing industry.

Chinook Salmon

Also known as king salmon, Chinook is the largest species of Pacific salmon.

It has a high fat content and is prized for its rich, flavorful flesh.

Chinook salmon vary in color, ranging from white to deep red.

Sockeye Salmon

Sockeye, also called red salmon, has a firm texture and deep red flesh.

It is known for its strong flavor and is often considered one of the tastiest salmon species.

Sockeye salmon is commonly used in canning due to its vibrant color.

Coho Salmon

Coho, or silver salmon, has a milder flavor compared to Chinook or Sockeye.

It has medium to dark orange-red flesh and a moderately firm texture.

Coho salmon is often a popular choice for grilling or baking.

Pink Salmon

Pink salmon, also known as humpback or humpy salmon, is the smallest and most abundant species.

It has light-colored flesh and a milder flavor compared to other types of salmon.

Pink salmon is often canned but is also available fresh or frozen.

Chum Salmon

Chum salmon, also known as dog or keta salmon, has a lighter color and milder flavor than some other species.

It is often used for smoking, curing, or canning due to its lower fat content.

Chum salmon is the most widely distributed Pacific salmon.

Atlantic Salmon

Atlantic salmon is native to the Atlantic Ocean and is different from the Pacific salmon species.

It has a mild flavor and a tender, flaky texture.

Unlike Pacific salmon, Atlantic salmon is often farm-raised.

Types of fishing net for salmon

Because of the high value, more and more fishermen want to catch salmon.

There are several types of fishing nets used to catch salmon, each with its own design and purpose. The choice of net depends on factors such as the fishing environment, target species, and local regulations.

Gillnets:

Gillnets are vertical panels of netting that are set in the water to intercept fish. They are designed to entangle the fish by their gills as they attempt to swim through the mesh.

Gillnets are commonly used for salmon fishing. They can be set in rivers, estuaries, or coastal waters, depending on the salmon species and their migratory patterns.

Purse Seine Nets:

Purse seine nets are large nets with a float line at the surface and a weighted line at the bottom. The net is deployed around a school of fish, and then the bottom is “pursed” or drawn closed, trapping the fish inside.

Purse seine nets are often used in commercial fishing operations targeting salmon, especially in open water environments. It is the most efficient fishing method in the market, but you should have a purse seiner vessel and a professional team.

Trammel Nets:

Trammel nets consist of three layers of netting – two outer layers with larger mesh and a central layer with smaller mesh. Fish become entangled in the multiple layers.

Trammel nets can be effective for catching salmon, especially in areas with a variety of fish sizes.

Gill net for salmon

Gill net is the most suitable fishing net for the fishermen who don’t have big vessel and specialized equipment. You could consider their advantages and shortages as belowed:

Effectiveness

Gill nets are effective in catching salmon, particularly during their migration in rivers and estuaries. They are designed to entangle fish by their gills as they swim into the net.

Versatility

Gill nets can be deployed at various depths and locations, making them versatile for different fishing environments. They can be used in rivers, estuaries, and coastal waters.

Ease of Deployment

Gill nets are relatively simple to deploy and retrieve, requiring less specialized equipment compared to some other fishing methods. This simplicity can make them accessible to a range of fishermen.

Compared to purse seine, they don’t need big vessel. one small boat is good enough. So it is very popular in many countries.

Selectivity

The selectivity of gill nets can be influenced by the mesh size. Fishermen can choose different mesh sizes for the different sizes of salmon. So the size of salmon caught by gill net of same mesh size is similar. so it could reduce the bycatch during fishing.

However, the gill nets can be selective based on mesh size, to meet the different size of fish, you should prepare the gill nets with different mesh size. It might increase your inventory.

Cost-Effectiveness:

Gill nets are often considered cost-effective compared to some other fishing gear. This can make them an attractive option for smaller-scale or traditional fishermen.

It is light enough that it could be handled by hand and small boat. One person is enough to use the gill net to catch the salmon.

Environmental Impact

Improperly managed or unattended gill nets can have negative environmental impacts. Abandoned or lost nets, often referred to as “ghost nets,” can continue to trap and harm marine life.

Regulatory Challenges

Gill netting is subject to specific regulations, and compliance can be challenging. Mesh size restrictions, seasonal closures, and other regulations are in place to manage fishery resources and protect non-target species.

In some area, the gill net is forbiddened, so you should be clear the regular in your country before choosing the fishing net.

Lack of Mobility

Gill nets are relatively stationary once deployed, which can be a disadvantage in certain fishing scenarios. This lack of mobility may limit their effectiveness in open water or areas with variable currents.

Purse seine for salmon

Purse seine is another popular fishing method in the market, it is usually used in the commercial fishing. It is chose by more and more seafoods company to catch the salmon.

High Efficiency

The salmon like to live in groups in pelagic waters, the population in groups is very big, and the purse seine is designed to catch the schools of fish in pelagic waters. So that the purse seine is the highest effective fishing method to catch the salmon.

It can result in high catch rates, making them a preferred choice for commercial fishing operations where maximizing the harvest is crucial.

Bycatch

However, purse seine nets can result in bycatch, capturing non-target species along with the salmon. They will catch all the species in the target area, so it will increase the difficulty to select the seafoods after fishing.

So the mesh size is very important to reduce the bycatch. The mesh size should be different to catch fishes in different size.

High Requirement

The deployment of purse seine nets often requires purse seiner vessels, which can be expensive to acquire and maintain. This can limit their accessibility for smaller-scale or artisanal fishermen.

Besides the vessel, you also need a skilled team to operate it. The experience of your team, especially the captain, will determine the success rate of the catch and the quantity of the harvest.

Trammel net for salmon

The trammel net is similar to gill net, it is very light, and can be handled by hand with one small boat. it could be used in river, lake or sea. it is also made of nylon monofilament net.

Compared to gill net, the trammel net is designed with three layers of netting, including an inner layer with smaller mesh. This design enhances selectivity by capturing fish through entanglement, reducing the likelihood of capturing undersized or non-target species.

Effective for Various Sizes of Salmon

Trammel nets can be effective in capturing a range of salmon sizes. The multiple layers of netting provide flexibility in targeting different age classes of salmon.

Compared to gill net, trammel net don’t need prepare different mesh size for the salmon in different size. One trammel net could catch the salmon in different size.

So it could reduce the inventory and it will be hot sale in different season for different size fish.

Bycatch

The problem for the trammel net is the bycatch. Because it could catch wide range of fish between the mesh size of inner net and outer net.

So you should consider the regular in your market, the mesh size is very important to the environment and species population.

Conclusion

Now you might be clear about how to choose the fishing net to catch the salmon.

The gill net and trammel net are more suitable for the individual fisherman or recreational person. Because they don’t need large vessel and special equipment. it is easy to handled by hand, it could be used in anywhere, including the river, lake and coastal sea.

It is very popular, so it has strong demand. It could be sold in the fishing store or online store. If you want to do business in gill net or trammel net, it is also a good choice.

Compared to gill net or trammel net, purse seine is more professional and difficult to use. It has higher threshold. So it is more suitable for commercial fishing in the open sea. It need professional seiner vessel and team, all of these is a big investment for a company.

Meanwhile, higher investment means fewer competitors. The most important thing is that the purse seine is the highest efficient fishing method in the market, dozens or hundreds of tons each catch means higher profitability.

If you want to buy the fishing net to catch the salmon, or have any questions to ask, welcome to talk with me directly. We hope we can learn each other and make a friend with you.