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Story: Fishing industry

Hand-lining

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Hand-lining

These fishermen are hand lining from the Liberta off Island Bay, in the 1920s. They have caught groper on baited hooks and are hauling them up by hand. Such work was extremely physical – stooping over and pulling up heavy fish from the depths gave these men strong arm muscles and often sore backs. Later, winches were introduced to haul in lines, nets, and crayfish pots.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Sydney Charles Smith Collection (PA-Group-00242)

Reference: 1/2-047911; G

by Sydney Charles Smith

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Carl Walrond, Fishing industry – Fishing methods and boats, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/6278/hand-lining (accessed 24 June 2026).

Story by Carl Walrond, published 2 March 2009.