Crab Trap

This is an item of fishing equipment with a similar mechanism as a trap. It has a nest made of bamboo or bush clover, and a funnel-shaped mouth, which prevents fish that enters the nest from escaping. This fish trap was commonly used since the Joseon Dynasty, and is more versatile than other fishing tools. The use of fish traps diminished significantly in the Japanese colonial period, when fishing large quantities became the main priority, yet their effectiveness has recently drawn attention to result in a wider use of the tool. Several branching ropes are connected to the main rope at one end and to a fish trap on the other end, while the ends of the main rope are anchored to the seabed, and also attached to buoys in order for visibility. Baits are hung within the traps to lure fish. Traps widely used at sea include bamboo traps for catching eels, and have a variety of shapes. Modern fish traps are not made from bamboo, but from a net woven with durable nylon threads. These traps can be used separately or to supplement other fishing gears, for example, by attaching traps to nets and bamboo screens to catch fish gathering around them. Baits often used for fish traps include mackerel, sardine, and mudfish.