The Museum’s Collections

Fishing

The fishing process and techniques were naturally introduced by the first settlers, similar to those existing in mainland Portugal, although they have undergone some changes in order to adapt to the conditions of the environment and the existing species.

Among the traditional fishing devices used in Madeira, it is necessary to distinguish the lines and hooks, the nets, the throwing and catching instruments and the traps.

Hooks are widely used in our archipelago. The trolling is a fishing system, which consists of sliding a natural bait (blue jack mackerel, sardine or bogue) or artificial bait on a single hook, or in double or triple hooks, entangled in steel terminal.

It is tied at the end of a line, which is thrown into the sea from the edge of the vessel and glides almost to the surface. In this process, artificial fish with hooks are used, such as this one, belonging to the museum's collection.

It is a system widely used in the fishing of great barracudas, pollocks, Atlantic bonitos, anchovies, among other species.

Credits: Madeira Ethnographic Museum