At sunset near Kapa’a, Kauai a Hawaiian throw net fisherman plies his craft. Hawaiian throw net fishing has been around for hundreds of years. Similar netting is practiced throughout Polynesia and in other fishing cultures around the world.
Throw net fishing requires both patience and skill. Fishermen must find a school of fish to track, not scare them off, wait until the school presents an opportunity, and then make an accurate throw.
This skill is typically handed down generation to generation. The practice of throw net fishing in Hawaii has become less common today, in part because many popular fishing spots have regulations against it. Throw netting can cause damage to sensitive corals, kill entire reefs, and quickly over-fish a species or entire reef if not limited.
