Lift Nets

A lift net has an opening which faces upwards.

The net is first submerged to a desired depth, and then lifted or hauled from the water. It can be lifted either manually (hand lift net) or mechanically (shore-operated lift net), and can be operated on a boat (boat-operated lift net)

Lift nets are horizontal netting panels or bag shaped like a parallelepiped, pyramid or cone with the opening facing upwards which are submerged at a certain depth, left for a while, the time necessary for light or bait to attract fish over the opening, then lifted out of the water.

Boat-operated lift nets

Boat-operated lift nets are often used, in small-scale fisheries, from small catamarans (e.g. in inland fisheries, in Africa) or two canoes operating together.

Оther models of lift nets, larger (i.e. bag nets, "basing", in Asia) are handled, from large vessels, known as Lift netters. In some other cases no boats are required (for shore stationary installations).

The operations, from the shore, from a canoe or a bigger boat, include:

• the setting of the net at a certain depth, opening facing upwards;
• the attraction of the fish over the above mentioned opening, by light or bait;
• then, the lifting/hauling of the net out of the water, by hand or mechanically.

Lift nets are, in general, active a few meters below the surface; when light attraction is used, the active depth depends on the attraction power of the light; this differs much if lamps (one or several) are above the surface or if under-water lamps are used; with the former, the power of the lamp and the number of these is the criteria; with the later, things depend on the length of the under-water power cable to the lamps); either in sea and inland waters.

The impact of the use of lift nets depends on how selective is the attraction above the lift net opening, mainly attraction to the light. Certain species or smaller sizes of fish can be attracted, at the same time, in addition to target species.

Shore Operated Stationary Lift Nets

Shore Operated Stationary Lift Nets, which can be relatively large, are usually operated from stationary installations situated along the shore, where the lifting system are sometimes mechanized. Lift nets consist of a horizontal netting panel framed by wood or metal bars or a bag shaped like a parallelepiped, pyramid or cone with the opening facing upwards.

Lift nets are operated usually form the bank of a river or a suitable beach by installing them on a special platform. The more modern lift nets are operated with the help of hand or motor driven winches. After being submerged at the required depth, the nets are lifted or hauled out of the water by hand or mechanically. The fish are sometimes attracted by strong lights or bait.

Lift nets are operated especially in the water surface either in sea and inland waters.