Teamwork with nature

Modern technology has revolutionized fisheries. Instruments on board of fishing vessels sense weather and wind and even reveal what's hidden in the depths of the sea. Moreover, fishermen know well how seasons, times of day and currents affect where various fish are found.

Experienced fishermen also benefit from the signs that Nature provides. A flock of hovering seagulls tell that fish are below. The gulls wait patiently until the fish are close enough to the surface to provide a good meal. The higher up the shoal, the more exited the birds get. Fishermen on a boat will notice this, and set course for the shoal.

In turn, killer whales may help the gulls, because they prey on the fish and often chase shoals up from greater depths. So fishermen are aided by nature, both from above and below.

A darkening sky often indicates an approaching storm. Still, even at sea there are signs of the weather to be. Large, drifting clumps of seaweed may have been torn loose from the bottom, which is a forewarning of a storm.

Watching birds also provides warnings, as they sense and prepare for bad weather. An arctic petrel will put extra food in its gizzard when it senses approaching bad weather. Infact one of the few reasons as to why a petrel will land on the surface is because of a forewarning of bad weather.

The enviroment changes continuously, no two days alike at sea, and luck changes quickly. Fishermen knows that the chance of getting a net full of fish is greatest for those who work with the team of nature.