Artisanal gears are the kind used by fishermen within 12 Nautical miles of Kenya’s shoreline.
Basket traps are made using split bamboo frame then interwoven with split bamboo reeds, creating a hexagonal mesh basket. Bait is places in the cone-shaped entrance to attract fish. Pieces of rock are tied on the edges to weigh the basket down and fishermen usually use canoes to carry the baskets before lowering them on the sea bed to catch fish.
The baskets are let down with ropes and plastic bottles can be used as buoys or surface markers. This type normally catches Parrotfish (Pono), Rabbitfish (Tafi), Emperor(Changu) and Triggerfish (Chale). Bait can include crushed urchins and seaweeds like green algae. the traps are biodegrable and pose no potential risks to marine life. Fishermen usually change the reeds within the 6-month life expectancy.
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