Fishing Boats

Fishing boats have been an important part of our culture for many years and have been the primary method for en masse fishing. The fishing boats that are used today differ greatly for some of the earliest examples and the designs and methods of construction used to manufacture fishing boats have changed significantly over time as maritime technology has advanced. Modern commercial fishing boats are designed to maximise profits and are capable of catching many hundreds of fish.

Some of the most commonly seen commercial fishing boats that are used today are trawlers. These are specially designed fishing boats which drag, or trawl, a large net behind them which is catches fish as the boat travels along. These fishing boats are useful for catching very large numbers of fish easily, but in recent years the ethics of fishing trawlers have been called into question, particularly due to the environmental impact of over fishing.

The simplest types of fishing boats are the ones used for casual fishing as a pastime. These very basic fishing boats are used to sail out to a location off shore, or in a large body of water where they can be anchored and the fisherman onboard can use fishing rods to catch fish.  These fishing boats are often available for hire at seaside resorts, or other costal areas popular with fishermen. They differ significantly from commercial fishing boats as they are only useful for catching a relatively small number of fish.