Plastic Fishing Lures Pollute:
How Can We Do Better?
Timeline of Fishing
in History
30,000 Years
People have been fishing for over 30,000 years. Tomb carvings and old scrolls show evidence of fishing. People would use woven nets, hooks, spears and hands.
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9,000 Years
Fishing in North America, native americans over 9,000 years ago. Mostly fished salmon. 3,023 dormat fishing was instilled in China. Still practiced today though.
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5,000 Years
Fishing became an industry in the Mediterranean and also in Egypt. Fishing in Egypt. Photos found in tombs and caves from ancient Egypt around 5,000 years ago.
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4,000 Years
Fishing rods over 4,000 years old discovered. They were made from bamboo and other woods. Horsehair was used for the line.
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Modern Time
Fishing industry throughout the world. Plastic lures and advanced fishing lures used.
History of Fishing
Fishing has been an integral part of many cultures, communities and economies for thousands of years. Some scientists believe that people have been fishing for over 30,000 years, providing both food and money for people around the world. The first signs of fishing were found in tomb caves and ancient scrolls found by archeologists.
Historically, most fishing was done using woven nets, harpoons, and hooks, but as time went on, new methods of fishing were invented.
About Fishing Rods
Fishing rods were first implemented as a fishing technique over 4,000 years ago, and some wooden lures were used in Macedonia over 2,000 years ago. The first rods were made out of bamboo and other strong woods, with many of the rods using horse hair as fishing line.
ABOUT THE PHOTO
Photo above shows typical modern fishing rods, which are commonly composed of graphite, fiberglass, or carbon fiber.
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Photo above shows a version of a harpoon, characterized by a pointed metal tip mounted on a metal rod and attached to a rope. Harpoons were made in many different sizes to accommodate fishing for different sizes of fish.
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Photo above shows a version of an ancient-style net, composed of the natural plant fiber known as sisal, which comes from the agave plant that is native to the arid and semi-arid regions of the Americas, particularly Mexico and the Caribbean.
Advancements Over Time
It wasn’t until the 1600s that fishing rods and lures started to become more advanced, and not until the 1900s did plastic lures take off. Plastic lures were proven to be efficient and changed fishing forever, but this didn't come without negative long term effects on the environment. This brought us to our present dilemma: Is the efficiency of using plastic lures really worth ruining the environment?
ABOUT THE PHOTO
Photo above shows an improvised fishing rod composed of both bamboo and aluminum parts, displaying how bamboo is both long enough and strong enough to be utilized for fishing purposes.
Fishing Through the Ages
Discover different tools that were used for fishing throughout history.
ABOUT THE PHOTO
Photo above shows a large modern fishing net, which is usually made of artificial polyamides such as nylon.