SCOOP NET FISHING

              Scoop net is operated widely in Thai coastal waters.  Fishing gear is simple, consisting of a net and two poles to keep the net open.  A small version of such a net is hand operated by a fisherman (scoop net), while larger nets are pushed by an engine-driven boat which can be any size between a long-tail boat and a trawler.  The latter type of scoop net is better known as push net.

              According to the fishery statistics from 1990 to 1997 the annual catch from scoop net has been increasing, particularly and highest in 1996 (41,730 mt).  This increase of catch is due to the catch from push net fishing (Table 9.1).  The catch from push net is increased gradually from 1990-1998 and highest in 1996 (29,790 mt). As can be seen from the table 9.1 that the catch from push net fishing in 1997 (28,648 mt) become more than twice of the catch in 1990 (14,176 mt) while the number of push net fishing boats in 1998 (901 units) less than in 1990 (970 units) (Table 9.2)

Table 9.1 Annual catch by scoop net and push net fishing. (mt)

Source: Fishery statistical bulletin for the South China Sea area. 1990-1997

             
Table 9.2 Number of push net fishing boats in Thailand 1990-1997 (unit)

Source: Fishery statistical bulletin for the South China Sea area, 1990-1997

              For the push net fishing, the proportion of trash-fish is very high about 42 per cent while the major species caught by scoop net are non-penaeid prawns about 99 per cent in 1997.

              The main species of fish caught by scoop net and push net fishing in 1997 were as follows:

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Source:  Fishery statistical bulletin for the South China Sea area 1997

FISHING GEAR AND METHODS