Fishing – trapping – and vermin destroying – Fishing – Nets
Patent
1986-01-27
1987-01-20
Godici, Nicholas P.
Fishing, trapping, and vermin destroying
Fishing
Nets
43 55, A01K 6902, A01K 7900
Patent
active
046371559
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to keepnets which are used to retain captured fish in the sport of coarse angling and in particular to improved keepnets which allow safer and easier release of fish.
The National Angling Survey published in 1980 estimated that there were well over two million coarse anglers in Britain. It has been estimated since that these anglers could easily account for over 500 million rod-caught fish per year with most of these fish being retained in keepnets for variable periods of time.
Although the question as to whether angling is cruel remains open to debate, there is clear evidence that some fish do suffer stress and injury from the use of keepnets. Of particular concern is the problem of releasing fish from such nets.
In October 1981 the National Angler's Council published a press-release entitled `Angling and the R.S.P.C.A.` which listed the specific recommendations of the Medway Report. On the subject of keepnets the report emphasised the need for `improved keepnet designs` and in his article entitled `A Net Nightmare` (Angling Times 29/9/82), Richard Walker, Britain's leading authority on coarse angling, expressed concern about the problem of releasing fish and stated that `it should not be beyond human intelligence to devise a safe, effective release for keepnet bottoms`. The invention and its various embodiments described in the present application provide answers to the problem.
THE STANDARD KEEPNET
A standard keepnet as used prior to the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a conventional keepnet in use for retaining captured fish; and
FIG. 2 is a similar view illustrating the release of captured fish from this net.
In these Figures and in FIGS. 3 to 20 referred to below, corresponding elements have been given the same reference numerals in all the Figures.
A keepnet as illustrated in FIG. 1 is basically a cylinder of fine knot-less mesh indicated in outline only at 1, having an open end 2 and closed at the other end 3. The netting 1 is supported by a series of thin flexible plastic rings 4 which are sewn into the mesh at regular intervals along its length. The open end 2 is supported by a ring 5 usually made from aluminium alloy and stout plastic tubing. Usually the diameter of this ring 5 (called the `mouth-ring`) can be extended to increase the gape of the net. The alloy part of the mouth-ring has a screw adaptor designed to receive the end of a detachable metal pole 6 (called the `bank-stick`) with which the net is secured into the bank-side mud. The closed end 3 is usually provided with a central handle 7. In FIG. 1, the water level is indicated at 8 and the bottom contour of the lake or river at 9.
Most keepnets are 8-12 feet long (2.4-3.6 meters) and 18-24 inches in diameter (0.45-0.60 meters). The spacing between the flexible plastic support rings 4 is usually about one foot (0.03 meters).
RELEASING FISH FROM A STANDARD KEEPNET
When fish are to be released, the keepnet is withdrawn from the water in such a way that the fish always accumulate at the closed end. By lifting up the closed end using the terminal support ring or the handle 7, the net is inverted and the fish are tumbled down the entire length of the net to the open end, as shown in FIG. 2.
The main problem is that fish are damaged by the effects of this extensive tumbling, which usually causes loss of scales and split fins. This is one of the reasons why keepnets are banned from some fisheries.
Furthermore, in competition angling, the catch is `poured` from the keepnet into a weighing-net or wire basket and then weighed before being finally released. This too causes injury.
It should be noted that although fish can be removed from a keepnet by collapsing the net on the bank with the open end uppermost, this only works well for catches comprising a few relatively large fish which can be picked out individually. With large catches of variable-sized fish this procedure becomes too time-consuming and many small fish become `lost`
REFERENCES:
patent: 756097 (1904-03-01), Burroughs
patent: 772360 (1904-10-01), Jensen
patent: 3015902 (1962-01-01), Mount
Farley Walter C.
Godici Nicholas P.
McKee Christopher L.
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