Came across a driftnet (sometimes called a gill net as it usually catches fish by the gills) on Terumbu Semakau. There was an amazing variety of fish caught in the long net which was at least 100m long stretching across from one end of the reef to the other. The video clip shows a selection of fish (and one flower crab) seen over about a 35m stretch of the driftnet.
The fishermen and their boat were closeby and were quick to pick up the catch in a styrofoam box. They must have set up the net quite a few hours earlier before the tide went out. The outgoing tide would have caught fish trying to escape from being stranded on the reef as it got more exposed. The reef had patches of Enhalus seagrass which would have provided a good refuge for smaller fish to hide from larger predatory fish.
Unfortunately, the long net also caught on to coral and sponges as well. The swaying of the net in the water could cause serious damage to corals and sponges. Any hard pull could tear off parts from soft coral and sponges. The area is also well known for its wild dolphins and resident sea turtles. Recently also, there were signs of possible dugong feeding trails at the Semakau seagrass lagoon. These animals face the risk of getting caught in the long driftnets.
After collecting the catch on the terumbu, the fishermen boated over to Semakau itself to continue their collection from another long net placed along the seawall on the foreshore.
Read also the Wildshores blogpost about the net :
http://wildshores.blogspot.com/2011/06/long-driftnet-traps-many-colourful.html
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