ARTISANAL FUNNEL FISH-TRAP

Passive fish traps are among some of the oldest documented relics from indigenous cultures all over the globe. Stone weirs built many hundred years ago in rivers and low tide areas still exist today.

Funneling fish for easier capture was a strategy used to put food on the table in almost every primitive culture. While different trap designs exist, there is one design that seems to be universal – the woven funnel trap.

Whether made from bamboo in the wetlands of Asia and South America, reeds on the coast of New Zealand or grapevine in the forests North America the funnel basket trap varied only slightly in design across multiple continents and cultures.

There are essentially two parts to the funnel basket trap: the body and the inverted cone cap. Lured by the scent of bait, the fish enter the main trap body through the inverted cone shaped cap. Once inside they aren’t smart enough to figure out how to get back out.